The Boy in the Next Row
by MrsHoldenCaulfield
Summary: Oh. My. God. COULD THIS BE AN UPDATE! Yes, yes, it is! Short, but an update nonetheless. JohnnyOC, mustread if I may so myself. Nearly complete.
1. The Boy in the Next Row

This is my first fan fic, so go easy on me!

Basically, this is a little story of mine about a girl who has a major crush on a certain greaser named Johnny Cade...

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters except for Angelina and Natasha.

Chapter 1: the boy in the next row

I always got so nervous when he sat down beside me. My heart would begin to beat faster and faster and I felt...well, sort of refreshed since I hadn't seen him in so long.

I knew that most of the time he was probably at that Curtis kid's house, but it's not like I could just knock on the door and ask for him. So day after day, I'd wait for him to come back and sit quietly in the desk beside for a blissful but pain-filled ninety minutes.

I remember a while ago, I think it was a few weeks after school had started and there was a test or quiz or something. He hadn't been there in days and I noticed that he was becoming quite frustrated wiht it all, so I discreetly slipped him my notes. I never paid much attention to him before that, but when he realized what I was doing, his black eyes met mine and he managed a timid smile. That was the only time I can remember him smiling.

He had the nicest smile I'd ever seen. It wasn't the least bit ostentatious and it wasn't sarcastic; well, there's really no way to describe it directly.

He had dark skin the color of...oh, I don't know, but it was beautiful–darker than tan, but lighter than brown.

His hair was the darkest black and cascaded just over his night-colored eyes.

He was sort of a small boy for his age (I think he was somewhere around 16, or at least that's what I heard). Not short, though he always slouched, just very skinny. He always wears this jean jacket, but you can still see it.

Finally, there's his scar. It runs from his upper face all the way down to his neck. A girl I know says he got beat up real bad once and that's where he got it. Maybe that was why he was always so quiet.

During class, I couldn't help but sneak glances every time I could. He was always staring at his desk or doodling something and rarely looked up. The problem was other people seeing me.

Ummm...I know this is really short for a first Chapter (I think), but I seriously need to get some homework done. I'll update soon, I promise!!!


	2. After School Activities

Thanks so much for all of your reviews! You guys are so nice. I promise this chapter will be a lot longer because it's Friday and I have all the time in the world!!! I'm really hyper right now, so I think this'll be good.

Chapter 2: after school activities

Natasha, my best friend since 3rd grade, and I walked aimlessly down the halls after school. I wasn't exactly watching where I was going–I was too busy thinking of the boy with the black eyes in my health class. It was a habit of mine lately to stare at my feet when I walked, hoping that I would bump into him by accident and my books would go flying up. And as we were picking up, he'd look at me and realize that I was the most beautiful girl he'd ever seen.

Today in class, we'd been paired into groups of four and I was hoping so badly that Johnny and I would be in a group together, but instead, I got paired with some girl who kept calling me "Angela".

"Angelina!" I'd nearly screamed, after the eighth time she had said it. I'd sank back into my chair, embarassed as everyone's eyes, including His turned towards the sound of my voice.

This afternoon, I had made an excuse that I had detention, so Natasha and I would have to stay after school and find a ride. I had it all planned out too: I would ask Two-Bit Matthews for a ride home, I kind of knew Two-Bit and I knew that he drove Him home everyday. Then I could finally figure out what His name was and I'd get my chance to talk to him for the first time.

Two-Bit and some other guys from his gang, including Him, were all standing around outside making jokes and smoking when Natasha and I made our way up to where they stood.

The guys silenced and gave us suspicious looks. I recognized Two-Bit, who was sitting on his car blowing smoke rings. Natasha gave me a wry look, but kept silent.

"Umm, Two-Bit?"

I found myself blushing under the close watch of the boys standing around me. Two-Bit cocked an eyebrow, apparently surprised at the fact that I even knew his name.

"Yeah?"

"Uh, my mom...well, see.."

"Out with it." commanded an older boy that I had never seen at school that had white-blonde hair and ice-colored eyes

My head snapped up in annoyance and I continued, "My ride left me and I need a ride."

Two-Bit thought about it for a long time, then asked: "Well, how come ya ride left ya?"

I thought about how to answer him. I wished deeply that I could just yell at the top of my lungs BECAUSE I WANT TO JUMP INTO THE ARMS OF THAT FINE LOOKIN' BOY RIGHT THERE, NOW WOULD YOU GIVE ME A RIDE?!!!!...but of course that would probably guarantee my absence from that car, so I replied the best I could: "I got detention."

The boy with the blonde hair snickered and I felt a little childish, but I didn't really care after Two-Bit nodded his head and slid off of the hood of the car.

"Come on, Johnny," he said to the boy with the black hair and I blushed at the mere sound of his name. _Johnny...that's nice. Now I can at least call him by his name._

Natasha and I got into the back of the car, me making sure I was sitting behind the passenger's seat.

I reached forward and ran my fingers through Johnny's hair, like I had wanted to do for so long. He pulled my hand down in front of his face and kissed it gently. Two-Bit chuckled in the driver's seat and shook his head as Johnny leaned back and I leaned forward. We leaned forward, our lips brushing against each other's lightly...

The sound of my name brought me out of my daydreams and I turned to Natasha.

"Angelina, you could at least answer when someone is speaking to you."

My ears became alert; I hoped to God that it was Johnny speaking.

"Where do you live?" It was Two-Bit who was talking and I relaxed, disappointed.

"Down the street from Ponyboy Curtis." I said, making sure I mentioned both of his names, so they'd know that I knew who he was.

"You know Pony?" Johnny said suddenly, but so quietly that I didn't realized he had uttered a word until Two-Bit began rambling about a girl he knew who had a moustache hairier than the hair on his head.

Natasha was giggling profusely, but I ignored Two-Bit and scooted up more in my seat and tried to conversate with Johnny.

"Yeah, I know Ponyboy, why?"

He shrugged and said in the same tone, "Just wonderin'"

I smiled at his bashfulness as he turned his head back toward the passing houses outside of the window.

"What's so funny?" Two-Bit asked, staring at me in the rearview mirror, grinning.

I suddenly realized that I had the silliest smirk on my face and looked the other way, blushing.

As soon as Two-Bit brought his eyes back to the road, Natasha nudged me eagerly and mouthed, 'What?'

I shook my head and muffled a slight giggle. I certainly didn't want Johnny to hear _that_.

My best friend gave me a yeah-right look and pointed to the back of Johnny's seat with her eyebrows raised, questioningly.

I wondered whether I should tell her or not and decided against it, knowing she would probably shake the whole car with her laughter and scream, "HAHA, Angie likes _HIM!_" and she would then jab her finger at Johnny. Geez, he'd never want to speak to me after that, so I just mouthed 'I'm not telling you anything.' and grinned to myself.

We pulled in front of my house and Johnny stepped out of the car and pushed up the seat so we could get out. As he lowered himself back into the car, I yelled hurriedly, "Thanks Two-Bit, bye Johnny!"

Johnny looked around at me in the process of sort-of-waving and his head smacked against the roof of the car, causing Two-Bit and Natasha to fly into a fit of laughter. Johnny cursed to himself and my hands flew to my open mouth in shock.

"Oh, god, I'm sorry!"

For some reason, this made Two-Bit to laugh even harder, clutching his stomach from the pain of the utmost pleasure.

"Shutup, man," muttered Johnny in mortification.

He sat down in the passenger's seat and stared ahead as Two-Bit revved the engine, still cackling incessantly.

"Boy, am I glad you don't like _that _idiot!" Natasha cried, reenacting Johnny's blunder.

I rolled my eyes at the simultaneous hooting of Natasha and Two-Bit, whose laughter we could hear clear down the street.

**Well, that's it. I told ya I'd update soon!!!! Luv you guys!**


	3. The Dum Dum Ditty

Wow, I didn't really know whether or not people would like this story that much. Gosh!

**Bitterspirit:** don't worry, I'm actually going to make this longer. My brain has been rested and is suddenly filling with ideas non-stop!

Chapter 3: The Dum Dum Ditty

As soon as Natasha left, I trudged upstairs and flopped on my bed. I felt so stupid now that my plan had gone all wrong. I just prayed that Johnny wouldn't come to school the next day with a big knot on the side of his head. I think I'd die of guilt. I rolled over on my back and felt under my cluttered bed for last year's yearbook. I finally found it after encountering a lot of disturbingly textured objects and flipped it open.

Johnny, Johnny...Johnny what?

After looking through the student pictures for about ten minutes, I tossed the book across the room, frustrated. I rolled over onto my stomach and lay there with my head in my hands and my feet kicking back and forth in the air. My eyes glanced at the window and I suddenly realized that I could see his house from where I lived. I jumped up, knocking a variety of things over in the process and peered out of my window. Sure enough, his house sat there, rather desolately, showing no apparent signs of life. I rested my elbows on the window sill and stared across the street longingly...

"Angelina, who are you looking for?"

I instinctively dropped my arms down and pretended to be fixing something on the window sill.

"Oh, please," said my mom dumping a bundle of unfolded clothes on my bed.

_Oh no, _I thought, annoyed, _ another one of her "talks"_

"Sit down," she said, gently patting the bed. "We don't usually get this chance to talk, you know."

I sat down and began folding clothes forcefully, my mom shaking her head.

"So, what's got you so jumpy lately?"

"Nothing." I began to re-fold my t-shirt which had annoyingly unraveled.

"What is it, Angie, a boy?"

"Mom," I whined, knowing how right she was, "You always have to assume it's a boy."

She chuckled to herself and told me to just tell her who it is.

"Nobody you know. I don't want to talk about him." That was kind of a lie. Ever since I'd noticed him, I had always had the urge to just release all of these pent-up feelings.

My mom knew when to take a hint. She left the clothes there for me and left.

I laid back down on my bed again and put the pillow over my face, trying not to look out the window at Johnny's house. I couldn't imagine him living in that place. Well, I could, but I didn't understand why he had to. I was getting frustrated with this crush and slammed the pillow down beside me.

_I know_, I sat up suddenly, _I can read. That'll get my mind off of him._

I opened the nearest book I could find: A Ticket for a Blue Train. I immediately discarded that the same way I had the pillow after looking at the cover-a girl standing hand in hand with a black-haired boy.

My wandered the guy with the blonde hair; what could someone as nice as Johnny be doing with someone like that? It seemed like Johnny was always so quiet and when he did talk, he always acted so shy and nice. _Who knows? _I thought, _What if he really isn't like that at home or something? What if he's a jerk... _

I rubbed my eyes. I always seemed to think too much and I'd always end up depressing myself. I allowed myself to just assume that he was the nicest guy I would ever met–that is, when I _did _finally meet him.

I fidgeted around with anything within reach of me and constantly shifted around in my seat, impatiently waiting for Johnny to come into class on Friday.

He was a lot earlier than usual, coming in a few seconds before the bell rang. He was wearing his jean jacket with the collar flipped up as usual. As he seated himself adjacent my desk, he threw me an unreadable glance and I blushed furiously. Maybe he wasn't all that embarassed after all..._Well, I doubt that._

As my teacher, Mr. Lipton, began rambling about the internal organs, I used the back of my notes and wrote out the lyrics to my new favorite song, as of now:

"The Dum Dum Ditty" by the Shangri-Las

He doesn't talk much but when he does he's saying something  
He lives in the slums cause his folks never had nothing  
Hes a rebel without a cause  
he doesn't do what everyone does.  
and he makes my heart go run run ditty boom boom  
makes my heart go run run ditty  
makes my heart go run run ditty, boom boom.

See him everyday hangin' 'round the neighborhood.  
They say stay away don't talk to him 'cause he is no good.  
Hes a rebel without a cause  
he doesnt do what everyone does.  
and he makes my heart go run run ditty boom boom  
makes my heart go run run ditty  
makes my heart go run run ditty, boom boom

How did he ever get in so much trouble,  
Shadadada, Shadadadadada  
Why do the papers always meantion his name,  
Shadadada, Shadadadadada  
Hes a rebel without a cause  
he doesnt do what everyone does.  
and he makes my heart go run run ditty  
makes my heart go run run ditty  
makes my heart go run run ditty boom boom

oh yeah _makes my heart go run run ditty  
Oh yeah makes my heart go run run ditty  
Oh yeah makes my heart go run run ditty_ boom boom ...

I glanced over at Johnny, who was also writing or drawing something and I smiled at my handiwork.

Suddenly, the piece of paper disappeared from beneath me and I looked up to meet the eyes of Mr. Lipton.

"Hmm..." he said, mockingly rubbing his chin, "In-ter-esting, Miss Millner. I'm sure Mr. Cade is very flattered."

My eyes grew wide and I could see Johnny stare down at his feet beside me. I swear, this boy was really going to hate me by the end of the year...but I couldn't help but think of his name: _Johnny Cade_.

I could have slapped myself for thinking of that. I guess I was just stuck with this thing. I would either be in love with Johnny Cade (Wow, even his name was cute!) for the rest of my life or I'd just have to get over it, which I doubted severely.

I made sure to avoid Johnny during the whole class and for once, I prayed not to be paired with him.

A few girls would occasionly glance over at me and snicker and point at Johnny, but I could do nothing more but burry my head in my folded arms.

Once the bell rang, I nearly ran out of the room, not waiting for Johnny to go ahead of me like I usually did. It was the last period of the day and I rushed to Natasha's class to wait to walk home together.

_Wow, I must've really high-tailed it outta there,_ I thought glancing at my watch–five minutes until the second dismissal bell would ring. _Great, another five minutes. What if Johnny walks by!_

I looked down the hall way just to make sure he wasn't silently laughing to himself at the other end of the school at my behavior in class. Seeing no sign of him anywhere, I leaned back and slid down next to the classroom door. I nearly went to sleep there until a voice beside me pratically ended my young life:

"Hey, kid, you awake?"

I sighed when I saw that it was just Two-Bit that was almost standing on top of me. I stood up and stepped back a little.

"I'm just waiting for Natasha."

"Oh, yeah," he said laughing to himself a little, "Her."

I looked around, not quite knowing what to say.

"Well," began Two-Bit again, as if he were just bumping into me, "I was wondering if you were free tonight."

"No, Two-Bit," I said rolling my eyes. Sure he was good-looking, but I don't think I could stand being around him with his joking for more than a few minutes. I began walking the opposite direction I had come, towards the front of the building, deciding to just wait for Natasha.

"No, not me," Two-Bit said, catching up to me, grinning, "but if that's how you want it, you know...I certainly wouldn't object–"

"Would you get on with it, Two-Bit?"

"Well, you see..." he seemed to be trying to pick the exactly correct wording to use for what he was about to tell or ask me, "The gang, we were wondering if you would like to come to Soda's birthday. You know Soda?"

"Yeah." Of course I knew Soda, what girl in that school didn't?

"Well, he's turning seventeen soon and you should come to the party."

I stopped walking to think about it.

"Johnny'll be there," smirked Two-Bit, his grin growing wider.

"Johnny," I inquired, trying not to sound too excited, "what does that matter?"

He gave me a disbelieving look, but I ignored it.

"Sure, I'll come."

Well, I was going to have to face Johnny sooner or later.

_I just wished it was a little later..._


	4. The Party

Wow, you guys are so sweet (ugh, I hate that word but oh well)! Next Chapter!

Chapter 4: The Party

That night was probably the first time I've ever been truly worried about what I was wearing. I gave up after about five million choices were laid all over each other on the bed and I still couldn't decide.

I couldn't imagine being in the same room with johnny after what had happened in health this morning. I flopped down on my array of clothes and winced as I thought of Johnny's face that morning.

_What if he won't even look at me_, I thought grimly, _well, I wouldn't blame him. I'm not exactly the _safest _person to be around..._

I glanced at the clock in my room. If I didn't go now, I'd be late and then everyone would turn and stare and everyone would see that it was the girl who nearly gave Johnny brain damage.

"_Johnny'll be there"_ Two-Bit's voice rang in my head. _Wait a minute, what did he mean by that? What if he knows how I feel about Johnny–but it's Two-Bit_, I thought grimacing at the thought of Two-Bit Matthews knowing one of my deepest secrests.

And speak of the devil, Mr. Matthews himself, waltzed right into my bedroom at that very moment. I couldn't even imagine my mother letting some guy with greasy sideburns like Elvis, a Mickey Mouse t-shirt on, some ripped jeans, a motorcycle jacket, and cowboy boots into our house, much less near me.

"You ready?" he asked enthusiastically, examining the books on my desk. "Just like Pony," he muttered to himself, setting down The Catcher in the Rye.

"What?" He waited until we had reached the open street outside to answer me.

"You and Pony, ya'll both like to read a lot I guess."

"Isn't Ponyboy Soda's brother?" I already knew the answer to my question; I was just making conversation.

"Yup."

I nodded more to myself than Two-Bit as we walked up the Curtises' steps and Two-Bit slammed the door behind him, leaving me to pull it open myself. The moment I entered the room, I was met by the blaring of "Runaround Sue" by Dion, competing with the television's volume.

Soda looks up from a big platter of chocolate cake and yells as I sit down, "Hey, Two-Bit who's this?"

Two-Bit said something under his breath to Soda and Sodapop grinned mischievously. _Probably something about Johnny_, I thought, rolling my eyes. I looked around and saw Ponyboy. I recognized him even though I'd only seen him two or three times before. My eyes followed his path across the room, avoiding all the guys laying all over the floor, and finally he sat down next to Johnny. Our eyes met for a minute and I stared into his blankly, not quite thinking of what I was doing. It was only when he looked away, blushing that I tore my eyes away from his face and resorted to staring at my shoes.

Johnny's P. O. V. (Yeah we get to see what's up with J. C.!)

I noticed her staring at me and I looked away, embarrassed. I'd seen her come in, but this was the first time she had noticed me. I wanted to talk to her, but while I was arguing with myself whether to or not, the next time I looked up she had already began a game of poker with Two-Bit and Steve so I remained in my seat. I remembered what Steve had told me a while ago: girls could get me into a lot of trouble. I remembered how Sylvia had pretended to be real sad about Dally getting hauled off and how she had all of a sudden started playing with my hair and telling me how cute I looked. I wondered if She (A/N: he's referring to Angelina) would ever do something like Sylvia and as I looked at her giggling at Two-Bit dancing around, I doubted it.

"Whatcha lookin' at, Johnny?"

I looked to the left side of me, expecting it to be Ponyboy who was talking, but when I saw that he wasn't there anymore, I looked to the other side of me and I saw Dallas Winston standing in front of me with an evil smirk on his elfish face.

"Nothin'," I said quietly as he plopped down beside me on the old, worn couch.

"It's that girl isn't it?" he replied, ignoring what I had just said. I didn't respond, just leaned my head on my hand trying to look too tired to talk.

"I bet it is," he continued, grinning, "Well, I guess she's a pretty okay broad for you. A little silly, though, don't you think?"

I turned my head back to Dally who was sort of leaning into me with this sort of glow in his icy eyes.

"I don't think she's too silly," I retorted under my breath.

"Yeah," he said, sitting back, "sure. You know, I heard about what happened in class this mornin' with you and her."

I didn't say anything. _'I'm sure Mr. Cade is very flattered'...what did that mean?_ I thought to myself vaguely, _what did she write that could be so _flattering

"So, are you gonna ask her out or what," asked Dally eagerly, interrupting my thoughts.

I shrugged.

"You should, Johnnycakes, I bet you she ain't that bad, if you know what I mean." Oh, I knew what he meant alright, but I didn't exactly want to stick around for the discussion. I was tired of talking to Dally, but it wasn't that I was tired so much as that I didn't really feel like talking about Her anymore.

I went into the kitchen, where Ponyboy was sitting on the counter, arguing over a piece of chocolate cake with Soda.

"Let go of it, Pony!" Soda was yelling.

"No, I don't care if it's your birthday!"

"That's right it _is _my birthday, so let go!"

Ponyboy suddenly hopped off of the counter, apparently tired of fighting with his older brother and sat down in the seat across from me.

"What's going on, Johnny?"

I shook my head and played with the table coth, not looking up at Pony.

"What's the matter, is it that girl?"

_God, _I thought getting up, and accidently knocking over my chair, _I can't get away from Her no matter where I go._ I knew that everybody was probably looking at me by now, but I didn't really care. I entered the nearest room I could find, and stopped in my tracks as I realized that I was looking at Steve and Evie on the bed, making out.

Steve looked up, frustrated, but when he saw that it was me, he said gently, but hurriedly, "Hey, Johnnycakes, could you leave us alone for–"but before he could even finish his sentence, I'd already closed the door and started down the hall again, this time, putting my ear to the door before going into a room.

I flopped down on Darry's bed and put my hands behind my head, staring up at the white ceiling, drifting off slightly until I fell into a light sleep...

Angelina's P. O. V.

The guy named Steve threw down his cards in frustration and said "I give up, I'm going to find Evie." Two-Bit was still standing up, laughing at himself, and when Steve left he sat down beside me and swayed dangerously.

"Geez, you're already drunk?" I said as he leaned his head on my shoulder. "The party's just started."

Suddenly, there was a crash that sounded like it came from the kitchen, followed by Johnny's figure in the doorway.

Everyone turned to look at him as he bounded down a hallway, opening a door for a moment, closing it quickly and entering an adjacent room.

The blonde boy, who was sitting near me on the couch gave me a look and I mouthed 'what?'. He got up and when he reached where I was sitting, grabbed my arm and ushered me roughly out the door.

When we were outside, I pulled away from him and folded my arms across my chest challengingly.

He sat down on the top step of the porch and motioned for me to sit down. I walked over to the steps and stood beside him with my arms still crossed. He looked up at me and said, annoyed, "Well, ain't ya gonna sit down?"

After contemplating his motives, I sat down hesitantly and wrapped my arms around my legs.

"So, tell me, what are you two doing?" He didn't really look like he was talking to me. He was just staring absently into the distance.

"Us two," I asked, knowing perfectly well what he was talking about.

"You know, you and Johnny."

"We're not doing anything," I said a little defensively. I was tired of thinking and talking about Johnny. It was frustrating.

"What do you mean 'not doing anything'. That's the biggest lie I've ever heard." He got up and began pacing behind me.

"Look, why are you even talking to me?" Evidently, this comment caught him off guard. He stopped and glared down at me. "I mean, I don't even know your name."

He sat down again and I could tell that he was already frustrated with talking to me.

"'name's Dallas." He said, rolling his eyes and for some reason, this made me smile.

"My name's Angelina," I said, offering him my hand.

He looked from it to my face for a moment, then reluctantly, Dallas shook my hand.

Johnny's P. O. V.

A loud knock was the sound that I woke up to. I was a little upset that my sleep was interrupted, but I got up and opened it. Ponyboy was leaning against the door frame tiredly and he pushed me aside to make way for him.

"Pony, are you drunk?" I asked as I closed the door.

"No, I'm just tired as hell."

I sat down on the bed, trying to take his shoes off with one pull, but gave up after a while and just layed back.

"What were you doin' in here anyway?" he asked rolling over onto his stomach.

"Nothing. Just thinking I guess."

I pushed him over and sat cross-legged on the bed beside him.

"You've been thinking a lot lately haven't you?"

I shrugged and laid back again.

"Johnny," said Pony, suddenly awake and sitting upright, "I know you don't like talking about it, but...do you really like that girl?"

I sighed, but I guess I didn't really care that much about talking about Her anymore, and besides, I was still real sleepy and all.

"I don't even know her, Pon'"

"Yeah, I know." he seemed real bothered about it. "But...you know, all girls aren't like Sylvia."

He paused for a moment, probably waiting for me to say something, but when I didn't, he continued, "I mean, Angelina, she's real nice. We were partners once for a history project and she was real smart and everything."

_Angelina_, I thought, making sure to remember it. I could imagine her and Pony being partners and talking about movies and books and everything. _Well, how come Pony's tellin' me all this?_

"I don't know, maybe she likes you," said Pony and I realized that I had said my thoughts out loud.

I shook my head disbelievingly and Ponyboy sighed to himself.

"Just...I don't know, I know maybe you don't want to, but maybe–maybe you should at least talk to her. I mean, God knows what Dal's sayin' to her."

"What?" I said suddenly, sitting up. _Dal? Dallas Winston? What was she doing talking to Dally?_

"Yeah, he pratically dragged her outside a few minutes ago."

And for the first time, I actually cared about a girl that Dally was bothering to talk to.

**I hope all you greasers LOVE this chapter as much as I do!!! Don't worry, though, there will be some Johnny and Angelina interaction in the next chapter, including some Dally appearances and controversies. Please Read and Review as soon as possible. Love ya!**

"**Ain't nobody gonna call the fuzz in this neighborhood, cause they know better! AHAHAHAH!!!"–good ol' Steve Randle**

**Stay gold, everyone.**


	5. Almost There

I love Everyone!!!!!!!! Your reviews are so nice–but anyways, back to my story...

Chapter 5: Almost There

Angelina's P. O. V.

"You're doing what?!"

Natasha must have been screaming that at me for hours. When she first heard that Dally had invited me to the go to the movies with him, Johnny, and Ponyboy, she freaked out. I guess she didn't really like them that much.

Oooh–a flashback to the party!

"How come Johnny's always so quiet?" I was finally going to know the answer to the question I'd been asking myself for so long.

"He's not all the time...I guess. Maybe just around girls, you know?"

"Yeah," I was almost whining, but I didn't really care; I wanted to know, "but why?"

He seemed to be holding something back from me, maybe a secret.

"I don't know. A while ago..."

He stood up again and leaned on the banister, staring towards the direction of Johnny's house. I waited patiently for him to go on.

"A while ago my girlfriend–well, my old girlfriend, Syvia–she started you know, comin' on to him I guess and I think he just thinks all girls are like that..." he turned, suddenly to look me in the eyes and I suddenly became self-conscious.

"What?"

"You really like Johnny don't you?"

I wondered whether I should tell him the truth or not, after all, everyone already assumed that I did.

I shrugged and as I felt my face get hot, I turned my head away from his gaze.

"Yeah, you do." he said decidedly.

"How do yo know?" I turned back to him a little angrily.

"I just do, okay?"

"Well, how come you care so much?" Even to myself, I sounded pathetic, but I was feeling quite defeated right then. I didn't know I was so obvious.

"It's Johnny. He's got enough shit on him with his parents and all...I just don't want to see him get hurt over some girl that don't even care about him."

He seemed to be having an awful hard time telling me all this; he kept avoiding my eyes and fidgeting around with things. I don't know why, but I got up and stood beside him, laying my hand on his shoulder. He looked rather uncomfortable when I did that, and tell the truth, I wasn't either.

"I don't want to hurt him," I said softly, a little embarrassed at my openness, "I just.." But I found myself at a loss for words and just looked away.

I could feel Dally's eyes on my face and I blushed and removed my hand from his shoulder.

"Uhhh...you wanna go to the movies?"

I turned around, startled at the irrelevance of the question.

"The movies?"

He nodded, thinking hard, "Not with just me, though...I'll bring Johnny...and maybe Pony–you know, so it seem natural I guess."

It felt like we were devising some master plan on how to take over the world or something. I looked at him doubtfully.

"It'll work, trust me." he seemed really bent on getting me and Johnny together, but I didn't mind. It was actually kind of fun.

"Okay." I said without really thinking about it.

He kind of smiled (as much as Dallas Winston can possibly smile, which isn't much) and we went back inside.

_Back to Reality..._

"What is he, like your boyfriend now or something?" Natasha said, still yelling.

"No," I laughed thinking of Dally and I as a couple, "We're just going to be going."

"You can't just go to the movies with that guy." She then began rambling aboutall the stories she'd ever heard about Dallas, "and you should just hear–"

Thankfully, the door bell rang at the moment and I rushed down the stairs after hanging up and checking my hair.

When I opened the door, I was greeted by three dripping greasers standing on my door step, surrounded by the pounding rain.

"Hey, look, it's raining and all, so we can't go to the movies," Dally stepped right past me into the living room, "you think we can just hang at your place for a while?"

While, Dallas was making himself welcome, I opened the door wider for Ponyboy and Johnny, and thought gratefully, _Thank God Mom's gone._

I closed the door and turned around just in time to see Dally tell Ponyboy to come and sit beside him instead of Johnny and give me a rather suggestive look. There were only two couches in the room, so I reluctantly sat down beside Johnny.

Johnny's P. O. V.

When she sat down, I thought about putting my hand on hers like Dally had told me to. I heard him laugh loudly when he saw that she'd sat on the other side of the couch, but couldn't bring myself to look up at him.

Dally's P. O. V. (Yeah, what is goin on in that head of his????)

I knew it. I knew he wouldn't do it. I guess Angelina liked guys like that though–sensitive guys and all. I looked over at Ponyboy who was just sitting there in a daze, not knowing what was going on and I laughed out loud.

Ponyboy's P. O. V.

I wondered what Dally thought was so damn funny? I knew I looked kind of stupid, sitting there all wet and all, but c'mon, it wasn't all that funny.

I looked over at Johnny and Angelina, sitting at opposite ends of the couch, both of them probably scared out of their minds to look at each other. I guess they would make a good couple–that is if they could ever get up enough courage to talk to each other.

Angelina's P. O. V.

I wanted to look over at Johnny again, but I knew that Dallas was probably watching us like a hawk or something. Sitting there with his hair all plastered to the back of his neck and on his forehead, he (Johnny, not Dally) just looked so...kissable. I felt the couch lift up suddenly and heard Johnny's voice almost whisper: "Where's the bathroom?"

Johnny's P. O. V.

_Just do it_, I yelled at my conscience. And I stood up all of sudden. _Oh Great, _I thought regretfully, _now you've got no choice to._

"Where's the bathroom?"

Angelina looked startled for a moment then came to her senses and said, "Up the stairs, down the hall, and it's the last one on your left."

I wanted so badly to just thank her and leave the room, but I could see Dally grinning out of the corner of my eye; I couldn't let him down...

"What?" I said trying to act confused.

Angelina's P. O. V.

I began to say the directions a little slower, but I saw Dally sort of wink at me and got up to lead Johnny up the stairs.

Johnny's P. O. V.

I kept my head down and stared at my shoes until we got upstairs. _Right when she's standing in front of the door..._ I remembered every word that Dally had said to me. And at that moment, she stopped and was about to open the door when–

Angelina's P. O. V.

I was about to push open the door when he slid his hands around my waist and turned me around to face him. I was kind of dumbfounded, with the sensation of his hands on the small of my back, and just about fainted when he kind of lifted my hands so I would finally put them around his neck. Then he started to lean into me...

Johnny's P. O. V.

I was just about to kiss her, but then I remembered that Dally had told me lean her against the door, so I kind of pushed her back gently and just as our lips began to touch, I saw a figure at the end of the hallway out of the corner of my eye...

Angelina's P. O. V.

I felt Johnny's lips lightly on mine, but they suddenly turned. Just as they did, the door gave way behind me and we both went crashing to the bathroom floor. I could feel Johnny's wet clothes pressing against mine and I saw Dally appear in the doorway grinning.

"Wow, you guys are a lot farther along than I thought!"

**Hahahahaha! I'm evil aren't I? I've gotta eat dinner now, so I can't write anymore...see you at the next chapter!!!**


	6. The First Date

Well, it seems that we meet again! Sorry for the big wait, but my computer screwed up... I hope everyone enjoyed Dally's master plan on how to hook up Johnny and Angelina—that he messed HIMSELF! He he he, let's see what happens...

Chapter 5: The First Date

Angelina's P. O. V.

To say the least, I was relieved when the three boys left the house. I couldn't bear to see the look on Johnny's face any longer. I'd never listen to Dally again...

Johnny's P. O. V. (Don't worry there aren't as many p. o. v. switching in this one)

Pony and Dally were standing at the bottom of the white wooden steps, waiting for me. I don't even know why I felt that I needed to say something to her, especially after what had happened in the bathroom...or may be that was why I needed to.

She was kind of not looking at me, just looking the other way, kind of off into the distance. _Gosh, she sure looks pretty when she's blushing like that and all_, I thought, but this time I didn't scold myself for thinking it. After all, we'd practically kissed now and...well, I can't say I wouldn't mind doing it again. (A/N: Ahh! I can't believe I thought of that! That was so cute!)

She must have already knew what I was going to ask her or maybe she just guessed because she said quietly so that Dallas wouldn't hear "You know, I wouldn't mind if you asked me on date, Johnny."

I don't know where she got the courage to say that. She always acted real shy around me. But I was even more surprised when I said "Well, I'd like that alright..."

Her hazel eyes looked up all of a sudden and she looked like she was about to giggle or something, but she didn't. She placed her hands lightly on my shoulder, her face flushing greatly (I bet mine was too. I could feel it.) and said "Bye" quietly.

When I turned to face Dally and Ponyboy, they were both grinning, though Dally's was a lot more suggestive than Pony's. As I made my way down the steps, he draped an arm around my shoulder and messed up my hair. I wasn't all that annoyed with him anymore, though; I was feeling pretty good that night.

The next time I saw Angelina was at school on Monday in health class. For the first time, I was paying attention to her, sitting there. It was strange how so many things could happen in a weekend. She would look over at me and instead of looking away hurriedly, she smiled this time, wrote something down on a small slip of paper and handed it to me as soon as the teacher wasn't looking.

I opened it and it read:

**What are you thinking about?**

I turned it over and wrote "You", and after a while of staring at my writing, erased it and wrote "Last Night". That sounded pretty bad too, but I handed the paper back to her anyways. She read it quickly and blushed, trying to muffle a laugh. I couldn't help but smile too, not because of the note, but because I'd caught myself thinking of how nice she looked again.

Mr. Lipton turned out the lights and started a movie about the body organs and believe me, I found it a lot more interesting to keep my eyes in Angelina's direction.

She had sort of drifted off by then, her mouth slightly open and her hair falling around her neck. I reminded myself of Pony, sitting there just staring at her, allowing my mind to wander: _I wonder what it would be lick to feel those lips against mine..._and I vaguely remembered the previous night, her lips gently brushing mine, waiting for...for...

As if on cue, Angelina woke up and examined the room around her absent-mindedly, her eyes stopping at mine, a little confused. I looked just above her shoulder, as to appear that I had been looking somewhere other than at her...

Angelina's P. O. V.

It was strange to find Johnny Cade, the guy I'd been practically in love with for so long, staring at me, or at least, that's what it looked like he was doing. I decided to make a joke out of it, so he wouldn't be embarrassed, and I rested my head on my left hand and stared hard at Johnny.

He looked back at me once or twice, and both times, he'd turn away, blushing, but I think he got that I was joking the third time and began to laugh. I laughed too and winked exaggeratedly at him. He was laughing silently to himself, trying not to be heard over the movie and I couldn't help but notice how nice he looked in such dim light, not that scared looked anymore, but he actually looked handsome.

My mind wondered absently back to the warmth of Johnny's arms wrapped gently around my waist and suddenly I wondered if the class would mind too much if I replayed the events at that very moment. Thinking of the look on Mr. Lipton's face, I burst into sudden fits of laughter, Johnny giving me quizzical looks occassionally...

Wow, if I was this giddy just thinking about him, I was going to just about have a heart attack on our date.

I was sitting on the edge of my seat, waiting for Johnny. At any sound whatsoever, I'd jump up and look out the window, suspecting his presence. Finally, the doorbell rang and I was there in a second, checking myself in the mirror before opening the door.

Johnny was standing there, sort of looking around himself, with his hands jammed in his pockets as usual.

"Hi," he mumbled, a little shakily.

I smiled, trying not to blush, as I seemed so prone to be caught doing lately.

"So, where do you wanna go?" he asked politely.

I shrugged and suggested, "Movies?"

"Okay."

I closed the door behind me and the two of us started down the steps, barely making conversation.

"How are you?" I asked, trying to encourage him to talk to me a bit more.

He shrugged and said, "Alright, I guess, same as usual. How 'bout you?"

I thought for a while, "Bad," I state finally.

He looked up at me with an unreadable expression. "Why Bad?"

"Just Kidding..." I said a little embarrassedly. I didn't know he would have taken me serious.

Well, as usual, my smart comments seemed to completely cease all hopes of speaking to one another until we got to the drive-in. I offered to pay for my own ticket, seeing the look of apologetic embarrassment on Johnny's face as he searched through the pockets of his jeans and jacket. He found us some seats towards the middle and sat down timidly beside me, almost immediately bouncing back up.

"You want something to eat?"

He'd already started off, not exactly waiting for my answer and I sat there, staring at the currently blank screen. I looked around, hoping to see someone I knew and, thankfully, I saw Sandy Rutherford sitting diagonally from me.

I called her over and when she reached me, she sat beside me and asked, "What are you doin' here alone?"

I always liked Sandy, most people did because she was nice and all, even though she was a little older than me.

"I'm here with Johnny," I said, already predicting her reaction.

"Johnny! Johnny Cade?"

I nodded, smiling to myself a little. It was still a little strange to believe that I actually was here with him.

"Wow, Angie, that's great! Where is he?"

I pointed to his figure at the concession and Sandy waved to him.

"Well, how are things going so far?"

I shrugged and said disappointedly, "I don't know. He's still not talking so much, you know?"

She nodded sympathetically and gave me a reassuring smile, "Well, don't worry, just be patient with him. He's just not used to yet. God knows, he wouldn't talk to me for a whole month."

By the time Johnny came back, Sandy had already left to rejoin her friends, glancing back at us every once in a while.

The movie started and Johnny sat back and handed me my drink. I took it, trying to think of something to do, when he suddenly sat upright and said, "How's Sandy?"

_Oh, I thought he was going to say something more...exciting_.

I shrugged. I'd been doing that a lot lately.

"She's alright."

He nodded and appeared to be thinking of something else to say.

"You wanna get out of here?" I blurted out. I'd been contemplating asking him that for a while now, but I didn't mean to say it out loud.

Looking back at the screen, he nodded, and as he stood up, I took hold of his hand. He avoided my eyes, but he didn't let go. I was concentrating so much on the gratifying warmth of his my hand in his that as we were leaving the Dingo, I tripped rather clumsily on a fallen branch, falling right on my arse (A/N: Finally, Angelina gets to get embarrassed! I love that word: arse!!!).

I was so humiliated I couldn't even _pretend_ to laugh at myself. I knew I probably looked pretty silly, sitting there in the dirt, but instead of laughing at me, Johnny offered his hand to help me up. I guess he'd gotten pretty used to embarrassing moments considering the past few days.

We linked hands again, but this time he laced his fingers through mine, causing me to forget my oh-so-recent blunder. He still wouldn't look quite directly at me, but I didn't care anymore, I was in bliss.

We walked silently for about ten minutes along the sidewalk, before I began, "So, what do you want to do?"

"Makeout."

_WAIT A MINUTE, WHAT!!! HE DIDN'T SAY WHAT I THINK HE JUST SAID–_

"What?"

"I don't know."

I released a humongous sigh of relief.

"Well, what do you and Ponyboy do together?"

He shrugged and thought about it for a while. I couldn't help but notice little things about him, like how every time he thought like that, he would bite his lip slightly. I stared at him with that expression on his face, wondering what it would be like to feel those lips with mine again...

"Let's go to the lot." he said finally, interrupting my thoughts.

Johnny and I made our way to the lot, still hand in hand (BIG SIGH). We both laid down on our backs and gazed up at the few stars in the night sky. I looked over at Johnny, whose face was partially lighted by a nearby streetlight, and couldn't resist the temptation to lay my head on his shoulder. I could feel his hair brush against the side of my face as he turned his head slightly towards me and put an arm around my shoulder...

( A/N: I know, I know, but at least finish the chapter before you melt in your seat!)

We must have laid there for almost an hour, just staring up at the night sky in that same position, because when I checked my watch, I nearly had a heart attack. My mom was gonna kill me if I didn't live right then. Thank God my house was so close by.

Neither of us said anything, apparently both feeling quite shy concerning our...intimacy, if I may, just a few minutes ago. We walked up my front steps as quietly as possible, trying not to wake up my mom, and paused as I unlocked the door.

"Well, Johnny...G'night I guess."

"G'night," he said, almost silently, staring a hole into his shoe.

I stood there for a minute, sort of waiting for something–that actually happened!

Johnny looked up from the ground suddenly, seeming as if he had decided what to do, and pulled me into a gentle embrace. He pulled away slightly, just enough to press his lips to mine, softly, but slowly.

As I pulled away, in a daze, he stepped back a little, letting his hands fall from around my waist and uttered a last "Goodnight, Angelina."

**AHHHH!!! Run around the room a bunch of times screaming and giggling at the same time Wow, I liked that last little ditty of a scene!**

"**What do you wanna do?"**

"**Makeout."**

**He he he, I wish I could have worked in some way that that would have actually happened...Oh well! R&R people, I need your sweet love!!!!**


	7. A Slight Complication

Hiya Hiya!!! I'm back everyone, and I sure do have some _crazy _ideas in this head of mine!

Scarlett: Thank you thank you thank you thank you....keeps saying "thank you" over and over until finally runs out of breath

SqUiDsLiLpYrO: He he he, I'm glad you like it!

And of course, Angry Princess, bitterspirit, Vincenza, Loree, Ponyboys-girl, Danni Babezzz, beauty queen, outsidersfan, don't go there, jorjor, and yes, you too, Vanilla Sky–thank you a million-katrillion times!!!

**Chapter 7: A Slight Complication**

Johnny's P. O. V.

I was glad that my parents had finally left–I needed to be alone for once. I couldn't stop thinking of Angelina. We'd only kissed the night before, but I could still feel the sensation of her lips on mine... I guess I felt a little silly thinking that way, laying in my bed with a cigarette hanging loosely from the corner of my mouth. I wondered vaguely if she was thinking about me at the same moment...maybe...

Angelina's P. O. V.

"See ya later, Angie!" Natasha called from her door as I made my way down the street. I wished that I had just asked my mother to pick me up–my house was a long way from here. I could see the vacant lot in the distance and my mind couldn't help but wander back to the image of Johnny and I laying there together, gazing up at the stars...

Lost in my thoughts, I walked aimlessly ain a not so straight line, until I ran into something–some _things_.

"Hey, girlie, how's it goin'?"

I stepped back a little, realizing that I was face to face with three large Socs. The one in the middle shoved me–hard–but I didn't fall.

"You're Cade's girl, ain'tcha?" said a red-headed one, inching closer to me.

My eyes darted around me, trying to find a place to go; if I was quick enough I could make it to Johnny's house, it was closest...

The red-head grabbed me around my waist and painfully carried me over to a tall tree towards the center of the lot, his fingers digging into my stomach. I tried my best to wriggle away from his hold, but his arms just tightened around me...I could feel his nails sliding upward, scratching the skin of my abdomen.

One of them held his hand over my mouth and I bit down as hard as I could. He yelped in pain and smacked me with his other hand. The other two Socs rushed to me and held my arms. I could see a beer bottle right near my left foot and I twisted my arm as hard as I could against one of the Socs holding my arm, but his hold was too strong.

Suddenly, I realized that my legs were still free to roam as they pleased. I lifted my knee and it collided in between the Soc on the left's legs, causing him to buckle over in pain. This gave me time to pick up the beer bottle below me and I tossed it at the Soc that still held my right arm. It hit him on the shoulder, sending glass fragments flying and a stream of blood down his muscles. He released me as his hands flew to his injured arm and I began to sprint as fast as I could towards Johnny's house.

Johnny's POV

The sudden sound of frantic pounding on the door was what jolted me out of my thoughts. I rushed to the front door, groaning inwardly at the thought of my father coming home so early. I had just barely opened the door when it was pushed into me, throwing my body against the wall. I cringed, waiting for a fist to meet my face, but nothing came. I opened my eyes, which had been squeezed tightly, and saw a panting Angelina slamming the door shut, making sure it was locked.

I was so surprised at the sight of her--hair askew and falling over her face, a purple bruise developing on the right side of her face–that the only words I could manage to stumble over were, "What the hell?"

Her eyes turned to me and I realized that she was silently crying, fear visible in her vibrant blue eyes. I felt ashamed for have spoken so harshly and gently wrapped my arms around my girlfriend, though still confused about what was going on.

"What hap–"but my words were interrupted by another pounding on the door and the sound of my father's voice on the other side.

"Come on," I said pulling Angelina into my room, lifting the window and allowing her to climb out before me.

"My dad would kill me if he knew you were here..." I said absently, leading her in the direction of the Curtis home.

When we reached Pony's house, we both were out of breath. I can't imagine what all the guys thought when Sodapop opened the door. Angelina had tried frantically to sort of brush her hair back with her fingers but I guess that doesn't really help too much when you're covered in bruises.

"Glory, Johnny," started Darry, "What happened?"

I shrugged and released Angelina's hand as she flopped down on the couch beside Steve. I could tell everyone was probably wondering what I had to do with this, but I was too tired to explain. Angelina had already began to drift off just sitting there, so Darry told me in a worried voice, "Eh, Johnny, why don't you take her to my room. She looks tired."

I sort of picked her up, which was hard to do because her body was so limp and everything. She must have been running for a long time because when I laid her down on Darry's bed and pulled the covers up over her chest, she had immediately fallen into a deep slumber...

Angelina's POV

As I opened my eyes, I realized that I wasn't at home in my bed. Sunlight streamed in the window and hit my face at an awkward angle. I rolled over in the bed (whose ever bed it was) to shield my pupils from the bright rays.

Suddenly, the events of the previous night washed over me like a wave and I grimaced as my cheek suddenly throbbed. I groaned a little too loudly and just as soon as I did, Sodapop Curtis came rushing into the room, shirt half buttoned.

"Oh, Jesus, I thought something was wrong."

I sat up and threw the covers off of me; _it's awfully hot in here_, I thought, realizing that I was still in my clothes from yesterday.

"How are you?" Soda asked, gently sitting next to me on the bed.

I shrugged and laid back with my hands crossed behind my head.

"You know," continued Soda, staring off at some invisible image in the distance, "Johnny was worried sick about you."

At the sound of Johnny's name, I blushed rather unexpectedly. I sat up and turned away from Soda, pretending to be looking for my missing shoes.

"You believe me right?"

I sat back down on the bed, opposite from Sodapop and nodded, still blushing.

He was sort of grinning at me and I smiled back timidly.

"You should go back to bed. You look beat."

To tell you the truth, I was wide awake and hungry as hell, but I obediently climbed back into bed and laid on my side, staring at the paint-chipped wall.

After about a few minutes of lying there with my eyes open, I heard someone enter the room.

"Angelina," said a quite voice hesitantly, that I recognized as Johnny.

I closed my eyes and didn't move, pretending that I was still asleep.

I felt his weight on the bed and guessed that he had probably sat down beside me.

Johnny's POV

I laid down on the bed uneasily, hoping I wouldn't wake her. I was glad that she wasn't laying on her left side–it killed me to see that bruise on her cheek. So much had happened since we had stood on her porch, her lips pressed to mine...

Before I knew what I was doing, I leaned down over her and kissed her cheek softly.

Angelina's POV

I could feel his breath on my cheek and tried not to giggle nervously. It would have been awfully awkward for me to laugh when he was so close to me...then, the soft pressure of his lips on my cheek gave me the familiar sensation–just like the other night, when his arms were wrapped loosely around my waist...

I turned my head to gaze up at his startled black eyes, which slowly became a shy smile.

"Hi," I managed to say, kissing him eagerly. He tensed up at first, and I can't say that I wasn't nervous about it, but soon, I could feel him relax against me. At that moment, I completely forgot my surroundings and brought my hands in the form of a circle around his neck.

We pulled away, breathing slightly hard just in time to see Ponyboy's slim figure appear at the door. He stood there for a minute looking rather flustered, then stammered an almost incoherent, "Oh, sorry." and hurried off down the hall.

Johnny turned back to me, grinning, and kissed me again lightly.

"Come on," he said sitting up, "Let's get some breakfast...Dal's been aching to see you..."

**Ummm....I wasn't exactly sure how to end this, so let's stop right here. I think this is a little shorter than the previous chapters and probably a lot more fluffy, but oh well! I'll update soon, guys–in the mean time, just press that little "Go" button and give me some reviews!!!!!!!!!!! (Suddenly, I have the urge to become a radio DJ....)**


	8. Publications

Wow, you guys! Thanks for the reviews you guys are so nice!!! There's some a bit of angry-Dally profanity in this chapter, so don't say I didn't warn you! I've been getting all these weird inspirations from a lot of movies that I've been watching lately, so this chapter is probably going to be very fluffy at some parts, but in the words of Master Yoda: A little giggle we all do need!

Chapter 8: Publications

I could feel everyone's eye on me as I sat at the kitchen table, eating the breakfast that Darry had

cooked for me. He'd made me call my mother, who was worried sick about me. She continually

asked me what had happened, but I only told her that I'd explain when I got home after school

and that I was alright. Darryl looked a little disappointed in my choice of words, but he didn't

comment on them.

Just as I was taking my last bite of toast, Dallas Winston just about tore the door off its hinges as

he entered the house, sending the jellied bread out my hand. Ponyboy just about fell out of his

chair laughing as the food landed in the center of Johnny's white t-shirt.

"What the fuck'd those bastards do to you!" Dally was practically screaming in my ear as I handed

Johnny some napkins.

"Hey, Dal," began Darry, "Calm down a minute, huh?"

Dally shot Darry a menacing glance, but he flopped down on the couch nonetheless.

"Wait!"

Everyone in the room turned to stare at Sodapop, who had been silent the whole time.

"Dally has a right to be angry. Those Socs should pay for what they did to Angelina."

The silence of the room was deafening as all seven boys contemplated the justification of this idea.

"Maybe not," Johnny began in his usual quite voice, "I don't think we should start all this–"

"Hey, what's your problem, huh, Johnny?" Dallas had stood once again despite Darry's objection and was now hovering over Johnny's seated form beside me. Dally wasn't even speaking to me, but I could still feel his dangerous presence looming over my head. "She's your girlfriend, for God sakes! Don't you care?!"

"What do you mean 'do I care'? Of course I care, now all I'm saying is it's not worth making this big of deal about it! They didn't do anything to her, can't you see her Dally? She's sitting right here, DAMNIT!"

I gazed up in awe at Johnny, Sodapop was standing in the same position on the other side of me with his mouth hanging to the floor, Darry's ice-colored eyes flickered from Dally to Johnny, Ponyboy dropped his fork loudly, Two-Bit and Steve turned suddenly away from the television screen, and Dally remained stupefied staring down at "everyone's kid brother". It was the first time I'd ever seen Johnny truly angry, not to mention the first time I'd ever seen anyone mouth off to Dally like that and still be living. We all stayed that way for at least a minute, Johnny's eyes blazing.

Finally, Dally seemed to snap out of the temporary trance, his face rapidly turning a rapid shade of scarlet, and he rushed out of the house, slamming the screen door behind him.

Johnny sighed and continued his breakfast

"Uhhh..." Darry said, breaking the silence, "Angelina, do you think you'll be alright in school?"

I nodded, still shocked by Johnny's outburst.

Ponyboy, Johnny, and I packed up our books and Two-Bit drove us to the school a few miles away (Johnny was going to stay home, but Darry looked like he was about to lecture his head off, so he came with us).

Johnny walked me to my first period, both of us pretending not to notice the dirty looks thrown our way by a couple of Socs.

We slowed our pace even more as the classroom came into view.

"Well, I guess I'll see you later..." he said, staring at his shoe.

I nodded and hugged my books even closer to my chest.

I could see Natasha gaping at us from inside the classroom door, her expression very similar to Sodapop's that morning.

Johnny ran his hand through his hair nervously as he moved towards me for a brief and awkward hug. He eyes turned for a moment and, seeming to have decided something, kissed me quickly on the lips.

"Bye." he said, quickly, trying to suppress a smile.

I mouthed the same to him–for some reason, I just couldn't get the words to come out audibly.

The whole day, my thoughts were stuck on the interesting events of that morning: Johnny yelling at Dally and him not doing anything, that kiss that Johnny gave me before class, and that adorable grin on his face...

I sighed and waited for Health to come around. I only had lunch next, then I could see Johnny.

"Hey, it's Rama Lama Ding Dong herself!" I immediately recognized the shrill voice on the break of laughter as Two-Bit Matthews'.

He squeezed between me and Natasha, almost knocking my tray of food over and flung his arms around our shoulders.

"You girls heard that one before?"

"Which one," Natasha asked blankly. She wasn't too good with music and everything.

"By the Edsels," I explained, "It's a song."

I guess seeing Two-Bit could brighten up my day (even though he _was _a little more than annoying at times).

"So, Angelina, how's it going?"

I shrugged, absently playing with a leaf that had blown in from a nearby door that had recently been swung open.

"No, no, no," he said, shaking his head as if I was merely a naive child, chuckling to himself all the while, "I mean how's it goin' with Johnny?"

I blushed at the mention of Johnny's name, turning away to hide my embarrassment.

"Things? Okay, I guess..."

Natasha looked confused (as usual) and gave me a quizzical look. "Johnny...Is that that greaser that I saw you with this morning, Angie?"

Two-Bit turned to her sharply. His eyes were narrowed and I could tell that he was getting angry–and fast.

"Hey, Natasha," I began giving her a warning look. Natasha and I knew each other well enough that we didn't even have to use words to communicate. Apparently, she just didn't get the point this time:

"Angelina," she said, angrily standing upright, "I don't know what's gotten into you lately with your crazy boyfriends! Next thing I know, you'll be knocked up or something!"

I stared up at her and I knew that Two-Bit probably was looking at me with the exact same expression on his face. I felt like I'd just been slapped out of my incessant daydreaming. I guess I'd never really thought of what my best friend thought about Johnny and I's relationship. But then again, how could she judge him just because he was a greaser? If I liked him, did she really think he could be that bad?

I stared after as she stomped away from the lunch table, her knee-length skirt swishing behind her.

"Bitch," I heard Two-Bit murmur under his breath.

"Shutup!" I punched him hard in the arm. I don't care if even _I _called Natasha that, I sure as hell wouldn't let _him_!

I could feel Johnny's eyes on me as I struggled to concentrate on my essay. I slammed down my pen, frustrated with reading the same first line over and over.

Johnny's POV

I didn't know what, but something was definitely wrong with Angelina. Usually, she seemed at _least _a little excited to see me, but now, she wouldn't even look in my direction. She usually made good grades and everything, but today, she just seemed...distracted.

I quickly scribbled a few words on the paper I was supposed to have been using to write a paper on reproduction, and tossed it onto her desk.

Angelina's POV

I stared at the note for a while, knowing where it had come from, then hesitantly opened it.

What's wrong? You seemed so happy this morning. What happened?

–Johnny

I sighed, knowing I couldn't bring myself to lie to Johnny.

I'll talk to you after class...

Johnny waited for me outside of the classroom, as I expected him to. He was leaning with his back against the wall, his black eyes gazing down at the ground as they so often did.

Johnny's POV

We just stood there for a while, just kind of staring at each other. I forced myself to wrap my arms around her, despite my conscience telling me I shouldn't. As soon as I'd touched her she let out a little whimper into my shoulder.

I could see the people passing by us staring at the image of Angelina and I standing there, her head buried into my jean jacket. I'd never seen her like this before. She just always seemed so calmed about everything, so in control of her life.

Finally, after a long while, she pulled away. Her eyes were a light pinkish color, and despite the situation, I couldn't help but admire her good looks. I held her hand as we strolled down the hall, her explaining the story of what had happened to her at lunch between sniffles.

By the time she was finished, we had reached outside and were perched on top of this brick wall, waiting for Two-Bit to come out of the school building.

I couldn't think of anything to do to comfort her except to just put my arm around her shoulder. She allowed her head to rest near my collar. I guess crying had tired her out an awful lot. Her eyes were half open and she looked as if she could fall asleep right there. I was kind of glad that she hadn't looked up at me right then to see the grin on my face. I must have looked crazy.

I just wished that she actually would go to sleep instead of staring into the distance like she always did. I wanted to feel her head relax against me as if nothing could ever happen, as if the world would just disappear and it would be just us................

**Hope you guys liked it! Oh gosh, I love being fluffy–butterflies are about to fly out of my ears or something. A similar situation is going on right now with one of my best friends and this guy I like...lot of conflict going on there. Maybe I'll take some real-life events from my days on this earth and incorporate it into this fic!!!!!!!! I'm so excited to start on the next chapter!!!!! AHHHH, I'm going Johnny-crazy right now!!!! See ya soon (Remember, R&R)!**


	9. Talks and Walks

**Alright, everybody, it's a brand new chapter of "The Boy in the Next Row"! Let's see...oh yeah, reviewers!!!**

**Hey, guess what I love everyone! **

**Ponyboys-girl3: Am I _really _good at fluffiness? Why, thank you!** **It's truly an honor to be complimented by you since I'm such a big fan of "Don't Say It Out Loud"**

**ponyisgoldxxx:** **Another honor! I'm glad you like my story as much as I love yours!**

**And to my other reviewers which I appreciate just as much (Jorjor, AngryPrincess13–your wish is my command in this chapter–some of the others that I am so ashamed that I can't think of right now!!!), thank you for all of your helpful comments. They really help me out with ideas and stuff like that. By the way, if you do have any ideas, I will gladly try to incorporate them into the story!**

**Chapter 9: Talks and Walks**

**Angelina's POV**

I was a little embarrassed that I'd cried right in front of Johnny. I guess that was only because I wasn't known as a generally emotional girl. I donl't like crying in front of people anyway.

Suddenly, I got this humongous wave of..._something_. It felt so weird sitting next Johnny in the back seat of Two-Bit's car. It was like I was an alien or something and I had just realized that I was in another world. Things had by awfully fast in the past two weeks or so.

I just never would have dreamed that _Johnny Cade _would ever actually be my...**boyfriend**.

Then, just as sudden as my recent realization had come, I wondered if Johnny really thought of me as his girlfriend. Well...we'd kissed–three times–and he treated me like I was more than just a friend... _'I think too much,' _I thought, finally coming out of my reverie.

As we drove along the street that cut through the city to get to my house, Two-Bit decided to stop at a place called Sonny's to pick up some food. I was glad as hell, too–crying makes me hungry.

Before our order had even been brought to the car, Two-Bit was already out, after some tall blonde that had walked by, leaving Johnny and I alone.

Despite my previous embarrassment, I strangely was comfortable just sitting there silently. Usually, I have this nagging feeling that I need to entertain people, or at least pretend that I'm entertained, but this time I just felt content. When people say "love is in the air", they're not kidding! It literally felt like I was intoxicated or something, at ease with everything even though my heart was probably pounding a thousand times a minute. It's , but not really the frustrating type of confusing, the type of confusing that's just...well, it is frustrating, but it even feels good to be frustrated, but...whatever, I won't try to explain it. I was just happy to finally not have so much drama going on at once.

Well, since I evidently can't get a little peace in my life, Mr. Dallas Winston had to just stick his little greasy head out of its hole. Just as I had slipped my hand into Johnny's, I noticed the figure of Dally jogging towards us.

Apparently, Johnny had noticed also, because he suddenly sat up straight and draped his arm over the seat behind my head.

"Hey, Dal," he said, unusually forceful.

"Johnny."

Dally nodded towards him, meeting his gaze.

The tension was so thick, you could probably reach out and touch it. I guess neither had recovered from their morning states: Johnny, very uncharacteristically angry with the one he admired most, and Dally, trying to keep his hand at his side. Being between those two was like being crushed in one of those huge, iron, crusher thingies in some big furnace with the heat turned all the way up and–well, I think you get the picture.

"I'm gonna go...to..." I stammered at the pressure of both of their expecting eyes on me, "the bathroom."

I hopped over the door with the help of Dally's strong shoulder and rushed off to find our missing-in-action waitress.

**Dally's POV**

I climbed into Two-Bit's car beside Johnny. I still didn't get what the hell he was so mad at me about, it wasn't like I'd done anything.

'_It's not my fault that I need to...protect him. I just can't help it'_

"Dal, I'm sorry I yelled atcha..." Johnny's voice trailed off ashamedly as he looked away, off into the distance.

I didn't say anything in response. I guess I already knew he would say that, but it just didn't seem like I should forgive him after acting like he did. I mean, sure I know I can't stay mad at Johnny forever, but he's not some innocent little kid that everybody has to take care of so much.

Even though, I was so mad, I could still feel that guilt welling up in me, just thinking of Johnny like that. I guess he _is _innocent, but then again he's not...I don't know.

I couldn't tell whether I'd hurt Johnny or not by not saying anything after he had already said sorry because his face was turned away from me.

For the first time in a long while, I really had no clue what to say, and I was actually _trying_ to think of something. I couldn't just let Johnny sit there and think I hate him or something–like his old man...

It was all just too confusing, so I muttered a mere "see ya around" and left.

As I was walking–to where, I'm not sure–I spotted Angelina sitting at a small, round table reading a book like nothing was going on. (She always seemed to just pulled books out of nowhere.)

Well, whatever she was reading, it must have been pretty damn good, because everyone once in a while, this crazy grin would appear on her face.

A wave of anger washed over me as I thought of that same girl being hurt by the lowest goddam people on the earth–Socs. I knew they hated us and all, but that ain't no reason to go mess around with an unknowing kid like Angie. I wanted to just...just...get my hands on those guys.

From where I stood, I could see the light purplish color of the bruise that had not yet left her cheek. As my eyes fell upon it, I grimaced at the sight of such a delicate thing being hurt like that.

She waved at me and I waved back, making my way over to where she sat.

"How's it goin', Angie?"

She shrugged with that same smile on her face.

"Okay...you and Johnny getting along?"

I shook my head and she sighed like she was thinking real hard about something. She kind of reminded me of Pony.

"You know, I don't think he's exactly," her big, blue eyes seemed to be searching for the right words, "_mad _at you. I think it was just...timing."

I shrugged and ran a hand through by white-blond hair.

"...Are you mad at him?" Her voice seemed a little...scared of what I would say.

I shook my head against my will, a small voice in the back of my head screaming 'what do you mean "no"! He made you look like a fool in front of the whole damned world'

I felt her hand on my shoulder lightly and turned my head to look at her. She looked slightly unsure of what she was doing, but she still had a certain air of confidence in those eyes. I think maybe that was the first time I really understood why Johnny liked her so much and why he'd gotten so angry when I had doubted his care for her. Of course he cared about her, I mean, even _I _do!

After that, I kind gained some sort of respect for her. Not only because she was kind of like one of the gang because she was Johnny's girl, but also because she didn't let the Socs get her down. I think it was the fact that so many people had done so much wrong to Johnny before...I just didn't want him to go through a whole relationship and just get hurt again by some girl who didn't even care about him.

Sure, when I first met her, I wanted her and Johnny to be together, but then, it was just kind of a joke or something, or at least, I didn't take it all that seriously. Now, I guess I just had to.

**Angelina's POV**

It had taken a lot of courage to place that hand on Dallas's shoulder, but I just did it anyway, no matter what my mind was telling me to do or not to do. I don't even really know why I did it, but it just seemed like the right thing to do. I hadn't known him for any more than a couple of days, but even I knew that no one did that to Dally, but I guess would just have to be different!

When I got back to the car, (Dally had already left), I came to find Two-Bit goofing off again with the waitress while chowing down on _my _sandwich. But that wasn't what I cared about at that exact moment.

"Hey, Two-Bit," I said, motioning for Johnny to come with me, "Johnny and I decided to go ahead and walk home."

"Yeah, sure," he said, waving us away.

As soon as we were out of earshot of the Mickey Mouse fiend, I wrapped my arms around Johnny's neck and brought my lips to his momentarily.

I could tell he was awfully surprised at my forwardness, but hey, if you were me could _you _resist????

"Johnny, Dally's not mad at you!" I said, grinning from ear to ear, my arms still about his slim figure.

"What," he managed, still baffled at my bubbliness.

"Dally, he just told me," I announced, almost so the whole world could hear and rejoice with me, "he's not mad at you for anything!"

Johnny, seeming to have finally gathered what I had said, gave me a gentle hug, smiling all the while–a rare thing that I just about did back flips after seeing.

"And, what, did you talk him into this," he began as we continued walking.

I shook my head triumphantly and gazed up into his night-colored eyes.

"Even if I did, how could somebody possibly stay mad at you for any amount of time?"

He smiled again (big sigh) and put an arm around my waist.

"Well, what about your friend...Natasha I think?"

_Oh God, Natasha_, I thought, remembering what she had said at lunch that day.

"Well...she...umm..." Then, suddenly, the craziest, but best idea that I think I've ever had came to my mind at that very moment.

"A double date!"

"What?" Once again, Johnny was absolutely bewildered at my actions.

"You and me and Natasha and..."

"Two-Bit," he suggested after a moment of thought.

"Perfect!"

By now, all sorts of great plans for dates were running through my head at an alarming rate. What things could the four of us possibly do _together_??

As Johnny and I reached my doorstep, we said our goodbyes and I leaned down to press my lips to his. When we pulled away from each other, his eyes immediately flew to the ground beneath his shoes as a his tanned cheeks began just red enough to become visible (_so, so adorable!!!_).

"Bye, Angelina. I'll see you tomorrow."

"Bye, Johnny," I said watching him begin a path down the street towards the direction of his house.

But I couldn't just stand there all day, gazing after him (though I would have loved to do so). I had some planning to do!!!!

**Oh my dear God. I'm too confused!!! AHHHH, somebody help! runs around the room screaming and running into walls, waiting for her beloved reviewers to help There's just so many ideas in this head of mine! –how 'bout some input, huh! Please review!!!**


	10. Three Drunks and a Sane Person

**Hey, yet another chappie from Holden Caulfield's beloved wife!**

**SqUiDsLiLpYrO: I'm glad that you finally got review the right chapter (lol!). yes, I shall try my best to make this as funny as a double date with Two-Bit would be!**

**Miss cheerful: Thanksie for za complimont! (Maybe I should talk like that all the time!) First time reviewer? I love first time reviewers!!!!!!!!**

**AngryPrincess13: Really? I actually thought that was one of my worst, but thanks anywayz! Yay, you're being loyal and reviewing, like, every chapter, like, that I ever wrote!**

**Ponyisgoldxxx: Yes, fluffy stories do rock!!!! By the way, keep those ideas a-swarming in your head, cause I love your sequel to "the aftermath"!**

**Vincenza: hey, I love that idea! You know what, I think I'm going to try to pull it off! I was thinking about it last night, so I hope you enjoy!**

**Ponyboys–girl3: oh yeah, that was a total fumble-wumble on my part! Hey, you like Don't Say it out Loud too? But, anyways, I'm getting off subject! The whole POV switching thing wasn't even supposed to be happening, but I just got bored with Angelina's so I switched Johnny, then everything went haywire from there! It's only going to be Johnny in this chapter, though b/c...well, Angelina's not exactly _available_....dun dun dun!**

**Chapter 10: Three Drunks and a Sane Person**

**(After a long day of school–yes, Two-Bit and Natasha have been informed of the upcoming date–Johnny's POV)**

Thankfully, when I got home my parents weren't there. I wasn't in any mood to listen to them fight or anything.

I dug a cigarette out of my jeans pocket and paused to light it before turning on the radio that sat on the small desk beside my bed.

"_...Next hour nothing but looove soongs!"_

"Oh great," I said out loud, but I didn't bother to change the station.

"_Just call Little Walter's Time Machine at LUV-SONGS to dedicate that special melody to the one you _really _care about..."_

I almost dropped the cigarette that was held between my lips as I wrote down the number of the radio station hurriedly. For a while, questioning what I was doing, I just sat there and stared at what I had just written down. _Well, you might as well_,I thought frustratedly as I dialed Angelina's phone number.

"Hello?" an unfamiliar voice answered. I briefly considered hanging up, but before I realized what I was doing, I had already asked for Angelina.

"Hello," she said, sounding oddly mature, "this is Angie."

_Wow, she sounds awfully nice on the phone..._

"Hello?"

I kicked myself mentally (if that's possible) and forced a few barely audible words to come out of my mouth.

"Hi, Angelina. It's Johnny."

There was a pause on the other end of line, followed by her voice which sounded slightly breathless.

"Oh, hi, Johnny. How are ya?"

"Okay, I guess."

_Get to the point, get to the point!_

"I just called to tell you that Little Walter's Time Machine is on right now and–"

"Are you listening to that too?"

Don't get me wrong, I wanted to stay on that phone with her forever, but if I didn't call the station soon enough, the song wouldn't play.

"Uh, yeah. But I can't talk long, so I just wanted to tell you to keep listening, alright?"

"Why?"

"You just...have to, okay?"

There was another pause in which she seemed to be considering my request.

"Alright, Johnny. I don't care if the president calls to tell me James Dean has come back from the dead and is right outside my door, I will still be listening!"

She actually sounded fairly serious when she said that, and I couldn't help but smile to myself.

Immediately after we said goodbye and I had put down the phone back into its cradle, I dialed the number of the station.

It took about seven songs and fifteen minutes of waiting for my dedication to play. As soon as Little Walter came back on declaring that they were going to start the dedications I just about fell off of my bed:

"_Alright, now, we've got a special dedication for a doll by the name of Angelina from a certain someone named Johnny Cade. It's called I Only Have Eyes for You by the Flamingos–one of my favorites–now, darlin' listen to the lyrics...here we go!!!"_

The piano began, my heart barely beating as the song played

_My love must be a kind of blind love._

_I can't see anyone but you._

_(Sh-bop, sh-bop)_

_Are the stars out tonight?_

_I don't know if it's cloudy or bright._

_I only have eyes for you, dear._

_The moon may be high,_

_but I can't see a thing in the sky._

_I only have eyes for you, dear._

_I don't know if we're in a garden_

_or on a crowded avenue._

_You are here and so am I, _

_maybe millions of people go by,_

_but they all disappear from view._

_And I only have eyes for you..._

Finally, I was able to breathe as the tune faded away and another song started up. My hands were sweating something awful and I unsuccessfully tried to wipe them on my jeans. I lit up another cancer stick, trying to call my nerves, when the phone rang.

_Oh god_, I thought frantically, _what if that's Angelina..._

Hesitantly, I picked up the receiver after taking another drag on my cigarette.

"Hello?"

"Eh, JOHNNY!"

It was Two-Bit, I could tell by that shrill voice.

"What, Two-Bit?"

"Just callin' to tell ya," he said, raising the pitch of his voice, "that I really loved that song that you dedicated to me. It was soooo sweet!"

I groaned loudly into the phone, smoke billowing from my nostrils.

"Look, Two-Bit, if ya ain't got nothing better to do, don't waste your time botherin' me."

I hear the sound of the television in the background, accompanied with the sound of laughter.

"Alright, alright, Johnnycake, but let me warn you now: you ain't never hearin' the end o' this!"

Once again, there was an explosion of laughter from the Peanut Gallery.

"So are you ready yet?"

I thought for a while, trying to remember what it was that I had to be ready for.

"Oh yeah, the date!"

"Yeah, stupid. Why don'tcha get ya love-struck" (more laughter) "self over hear. It's almost time to pick up the girls."

I hung up, not wanting to hear anymore of that conversation.

As quickly as I could, I changed into some more decent looking jeans, a clean white t-shirt and made my hair as perfectly greased as I could–though it still didn't compare to Pony's or Soda's–and rushed out the back door.

The Curtis living room contained just about every person in our neighborhood: of course, the three brothers, Two-Bit, Dally, and Steve.

"Hey, Darry," Two-Bit was saying as I entered the house, "I wonder, how come you don't ever lock your door?"

I sat down on the floor beside the couch, as it was the only other vacant space available in there. Darry narrowly avoided being collided with a flying piece of meat as he answered Two-Bit's inquiry.

"Even if I did, you guys'd probably break it down anyway."

Just as he got these words out of his mouth, Angelina and Natasha waltzed through the door. She was dressed in a peach-colored sleeveless dress with a ribbon pulling her brown hair up into a ponytail. You could now only faintly see a light shade of blue on her right cheek, which I guessed was due to makeup. As soon as her light brown eyes fell on me, her face immediately turned a bright red color and she looked away, hiding a shy smile.

I don't know how I could have ever believed Steve about how girls were...he must have been talking about girls who only acted like Sylvia. Angelina was nothing like Dally's ex-girlfriend. First of all, she didn't have all that trashy makeup all over her face. She had more of a natural beauty–but not the type of beauty that I'd seen in any of the girls around here. Her beauty was more...innocent, and I guess I could appreciate that a lot more than just a pretty face.

"Eh, Two-Bit," I said, startled at their sudden presence, "I thought you said we were going to pick them up?"

Two-Bit just gave me an I-never-said-that look and explained, "Well, I figured, they live close enough so what's the use of wasting perfectly good gas?"

I rolled my eyes and got up, since evidently Two-Bit had no sense of good manners.

"Hi, Angelina." I said, trying to control the heat that was overcoming my face.

She merely giggled in response. This time, it was Natasha's turn to roll her eyes.

"So which one's Two-Bit?" Her voice sounded a lot harder than Angelina's, matching the bored expression on her face.

"At your service, madame," announced Two-Bit, waving to her from his position in front of the T. V.

"Oh yeah, _him_."

Well, I couldn't exactly blame her for not being excited about going on a date with Two-Bit Matthews, considering his previous antics.

"So where are we going," asked Angelina, apparently having composed herself.

"Well," stated Two-Bit as he pulled on his leather jacket, "that's for me to know and you three to find out."

In about ten minutes, we arrived at the Nightly Double–yeah I know, what a spectacular surprise, huh? I didn't really care about that, though. I was just thankful that I didn't have to bear Two-Bit's singing "I Only Have Eyes for You" anymore.

We sat toward the middle half of the rows, not wanting to disturb the array of couples who were practically glued to each other's faces. Angelina and I were left to wait through the opening credits as Natasha and Two-Bit left to get the drinks.

"Johnny?"

I nearly fell out of my seat at the sound of her voice beside me.

"Yeah?"

She seemed to be thinking real hard about what to say next.

"You know, I thought it was really nice what you did...with the song and all."

"Thanks," I blurted out. As soon as it had rolled off my tongue, I could have smacked myself for saying it.

Evidently, she didn't care too much, because she kissed my cheek and linked her arm through mine.

I couldn't even look at her, for fear of giggling like a little school girl.

_Come on, Johnny, pull yourself together._

Natasha and Two-Bit came back a few moments later, arms empty.

"Hey, where's the food," I said.

Now, c'mon Two-Bit can't be dumb enough to have forgotten the food...

"Ah, me and Natasha here decided on something a little better."

He pulled two small bottles of beer out of the inner pockets of his jacket.

"Natasha," began Angie, staring at the bottles, "I didn't know you drink."

Natasha just laughed passively and handed her friend the alcohol.

"Oh, relax, Angelina. It's only root beer."

I gave Two-Bit an angry look.

"Johnny, really it is. What do you think I'm dumb enough to get these girls drunk on the first date?"

I didn't answer that question.

"Besides, I already know you wouldn't drink for a million dollars."

I guess I believed him. I mean, I hadn't seen them leave the concession stand at all. I took a drink to make sure. It tasted like root beer, so I figured he was telling the truth.

"Hey, Johnny, guess what?"

Two-Bit and Natasha had already drank most of their bottle by the first fifteen minutes. It seemed as if they couldn't drink anymore and Natasha handed it to Angelina.

"You want the rest of this?" She was hiccuping through the whole sentence.

After considering it for a moment, Angelina took the bottle from her friend, finishing it with one swallow. She immediately frowned at the taste of it.

"God, this tastes awfully bitter. You guys got ripped off."

For some reason, Two-Bit found this comment extremely hilarious.

_He sounds drunk as ever_, I thought, grimacing at the possibilities.

"Hey, Two-Bit?"

"Huh?" he said, his voice barely understandable.

"Who'd you get the drinks from?"

My mind was now racing.

"Ol' Timmy. Hey did you ever know he worked out here?"

I shook my head and cursed under my breath. Two-Bit could be real stupid sometimes. I think anyone in their right mind wouldn't have trusted any type of substance from the hands of Tim Shepard to be clean in anyway.

Apparently, "Ol' Timmy" had given Two-Bit one bottle of root beer and one of some type of alcohol.

I could tell that the beer was already starting to kick in Angelina's system. She seemed sleepy and her head kept dropping onto my shoulder tiredly. I raised her head to look at me.

"Angelina, are you drunk?" I didn't care how dumb that question must have sounded. Especially after she laughed right in my face. Boy, that alcohol sure must've been straight vodka or something. I was glad that she had only consumed the amount that she did. Judging by the states of the two teenagers sitting beside us, this was going to be a _long _night...

**Okay, that's it! Don't worry, though! I'll continue the double date in the next chapter. Ha ha ha! I love having power over all of you weak and pathetic minds–just kidding, of course! I hope my whole theory of how they received the alcohol was believable. I couldn't think of anything else. Please Review!!!!**


	11. Drunken Nights

**Okay, I haven't updated in an unusually long time for me, but school sucks and it's taking over my life! AGGHHH!**

**But anywho, thanx to my loyal and wonderful reviewers:**

**Banana4422: **Glad ya like it!

**Miss cheerful: **LOL! Yes, only Two-Bit would buy drinks from Tim...sigh but we love him anyways!

**SqUiDsLiLpYrO: **lol–"Ol' Timmy"! I couldn't stop laughing at that line...Tim will be featured in this chapter too, which is already starting to cause me to giggle!

**AngryPrincess13: **Thanx! I'm glad you like it so far.

**Ponyboys–girl3: **Why, yes, 'tis quite a big bang to write about a character when they're drunk! There are so many ideas right now about how she will act and how Johnny will react.

**Vincenza: **Hmm...I don't think Natasha _or _Two-Bit knew that it was beer when Tim first gave it to them, but I think they figured it out after the first swallow, but then neither of them (especially Two-Bit) cared and decided to play a little trick on Angelina!

**MysteriousMaidenOfDarkness**: I'm glad that you're so eager to read this chappie, but uh...please, no chewing of the fingers. lol.

**ponyisgoldxxx: **Why, thank you for the compliment! I was so nervous about that, since nobody said anything about it in their reviews. I had been contemplating for so long how to fit that song in somewhere. I was going to use the song "You really got a hold on me" by Smokey Robinson and the Miracles just like in the book that inspired the idea, The Wanderers, but I wanted to be a little bit more original.

**mrs.sodapopcurtis:** Yay! I have entertained at least one person other than myself!--an accomplishment! Three cheers for Holden's wife! Oh yeah, and I choose this sentimental moment to say: you better update on "Love of my Life" or I'll pull a MysteriousMaidenOfDarkness move and bite my nails so long that I have to chew my fingers!

**Chapter 11: Drunken Nights**

I was desperate to find one of the gang to help me out or something; I couldn't possibly take care of both Natasha and Angelina, plus (God bless me) Two-Bit Matthews. I don't know what could have possibly possessed me enough to agree to taking Two-Bit along on the date.

If it had been Ponyboy or Soda or something we wouldn't be in all this damn mess.

Thankfully, Angelina wasn't nearly as drunk as the other two, but she was definitely "tipsy". She was turned halfway around in her seat with her left arm resting on the back of it to support her head. Her green eyes were burning into me, I could feel it--and let me tellyou, it wasn't all that comfortable.

"Johnny?"

The sound of her voice just about gave me a heart attack.

"Huh?"

She looked around my shoulder at Natasha and Two-Bit with her eyebrows raised. The two were evidently determined to kiss every inch of each other's face.

I was beginning to become even more uncomfortable, with them being right there beside me.

"How come _we_ don't ever do that?"

She kept looking me up and down and grinning.

I was starting to panic, trying to think of a good answer that would hopefully make her drop the subject.

As my eyes darted around (from one sho to the other, that is), she suddenly burst into giggles, slapping her knee.

"I'm...jus--just kidding!" More laughter that was probably so loud that people thought it was a part of the movie.

She finally managed to compose herself enough to say, "It looks painful anyways."

For a second, I though she was going to explode into laughter again, but she merely chuckled at her own her humor.

"But, seriously Johnny...I wanted to talk to you about something else."

I turned back towards her slightly, bracing myself for whatever else she might say, "Wel...what'd you wanna talk about?"

"EH, JOHNNYCAKE!"

_'Thank goodness,' _I thought, almost jumping up and down with joy. I wasn't exactly in any mood for a real serious talk...what if she was actually being serious when she asked me why we never did what Two-Bit and Natasha were doing. She never seemed to mind before, but it wasn't like we hadn't been together for a while now... I mean, we hardly ever even spoke to each other in public. Whenever Sandy was around, Soda would always be telling her how much he loved her and all that, no matter who was around. Maybe that was it...maybe she wanted me to tell her that I loved her...

_'But I don't even know if I do or not! I've only really known her for two weeks...I definitely like her, but love?'_

I decided to think about something else...love's too frustrating.

I turned around to see Sodapop and Steve waving as they jogged over to us.

They both sat in the row behind us, Steve snorting in the direction of Two-Bit and his date, Soda ruffling my hair and putting his arm around Angelina's shoulder.

It was a little annoying with him there...and I kept thinking about how handsome everyone thought he was.

_'I bet Angelina thinks he's handsome...probably even more than me...'_

I shook the thought out of my head. I mean, c'mon. I knew she liked me or she wouldn't be going out with me and she was always kind of shy around me most of the time...she was never shy around Soda, so why would she like him?

_'I'm just being paranoid.'_

**Sodapop's P.O.V.**

****

I could smell the beer on Angelina pretty strongly. I had no idea why, but I didn't really think it was such a big deal, so I just didn't ask.

Johnny looked uncomfortable and he kept staring at me, then he'd look back at the ground.

"Hey, somethin' wrong, Johnny?" I guess Steve had noticed too.

Johnny shook his head, looked like he was thinking for a second, then changed his mind, "Well, actually, I was wonderin' if you guys could do me a favor?"

_--about an hour later--_

"Jesus Christ," I said, flopping down on the couch back at my house, "I never knew Two-Bit could ever be so committed to one broad."

Steve nodded and laughed at the memory of Two-Bit and his date.

"Yeah," he said reaching out his hand to a pretend girl, "'Natasha! Don't leave me!'"

We both fell over with uncontrollable laughter.

"Well, I wonder what ol' Loverman's doin' with Angelina..."

****

**Johnny's P. O. V.**

I could have done back flips when we reached Angelina's house, only to find that her mother was gone.

"C'mon, girl," I said, as if I was talking to a little baby, "You gotta go inside."

She had sat herself down on the porch, and was now refusing to budge.

I sighed and lifted her onto her feet by her arms.

"Where are your keys?" I asked as patiently as I could.

She just laughed and kissed me roughly, wrapping her arms around my neck. I sighed again and took advantage of her position by searching the pockets of her sweater for the keys.

"Johnny, we can't do that out _here_!" She was laughing again for the millionth time that night and swatted my hands away just as I pulled out her house keys.

I unlocked the door and pushed her in gently.

It was dark and I groped around the place to find the light switch, every once in a while hearing sounds that indicated that Angelina had ran into yet another object. Finally, I stumbled into a lamp and turned it on.

Angelina was (for some reason) sitting on the floor cross-legged about five feet away from me, beginning to doze off.

"Angie," she exclaimed as the light was turned on, "darling, don't be upset!"

"What?" I asked, her words momentarily distracting me from what I was doing.

"Angie hurt her poor, poor knee." Then, suddenly, she seemed to have an awakening, "Johnny, sweetie, can you kiss it?"

I blushed and shook my head, walking over to my girlfriend.

"I can't. You have to be asleep by the time your mom comes home."

"Why?"

"Because she'll be mad if she finds out you've been drinking."

"So why do I have to be asleep?"

"I don't know. It's the only thing I could think of to do."

"Why?"

"Because."

"Why?"

"Because I don't want you to get into trouble."

"Why?"

"Because I just don't!"

"Why are you yelling?"

"Because you keep asking questions when you're supposed to be asleep!"

"Why?"

"Stop asking me questions!"

"Why?"

"Because you're...because...I don't know!"

She smiled at me and cocked her head to the side. For a while we just stared at each other like that.

"If I go upstairs and go to sleep will you do something for me?"

I breathed a sigh of relief, thankful that her previous sentence had not consisted of the word 'why'.

"That depends on what you want me to do."

She thought for a while with her hand on her chin, her brow furrowed.

"I've got it! A hug."

I nodded eagerly, helping her up and leading her up the stairs before me.

Suddenly, she stopped on the stairs, gripping the rail and my shoulder for support.

"What is it?"

She seemed to be thinking for a while. "Can I have a kiss too?"

Once again, I blushed in spite of myself and the situation we were in, and nodded.

We started back on the way to her bedroom, me barely preventing her from tripping over her own feet numerous times.

I stood by her nightstand, looking around her room as she crawled under the covers.

It looked almost identical to mine, except for the pin-ups abover her head board and a book shelf in the corner, but the rest was practically the same.

"Johnny," she said in a sing-song voice, peering up at me from beneath the blankets. I couldn't help but smile at her. Her nose and mouth were covered and the only thing I could see were here bright green, oval-shaped eyes.

"My hug, please, kind sir."

I leaned down and hugged her.

"Goodnight," I said, reaching for the switch to turn out the lights.

"Hey! What about my kiss!"

I turned back to her. Her arms were crossed just under her chin and she was pouting just like a little kid.

I rolled my eyes in mock annoyance and lightly pressed my lips to hers. Just as I began to pull away, she placed a hand on my shoulder to keep me there.

Well, of course I didn't resist (how could I?), but after a few seconds, I broke the kiss and grinned down at her.

"You know, Johnny, before I met you, I always wondered if you tasted like caramel..."

I laughed quietly, feeling my ears grow hot.

"And ya know, you kind of do."

She turned on her side and blew me a kiss as I turned off the lights and headed back down stairs.

**Well, well, I know it's kind of short, but I'm not quite in the mood to continue. Oh well, 'tis not quite so bad! It merely gives me a lingering moment to ponder what shall be featured in the next division of this fic! Buh-Bye! (and don't forget to review!)**


	12. Broken Hearts

**Okay, people, an update from ME! Ah, a long weekend...maybe I'll get a chance to update this as fast as I did when I was first starting out.**

**And thank you's (of course):**

**AngryPrincess13: **Ah, yes, the short and sweet review!

**Miss cheerful: **Oh yes, I haven't forgot about that...I wonder if anyone else noticed? Anywho, that part was actually going to turn into a little chat between the Angie and Johnny, but I decided to make you guys wait! I don't know if it'll be in this chapter, but I promise, it _will _come up eventually (when the time is right).

**SqUiDsLiLpYrO: **lol, I'm glad I could give your computer a little satisfaction! And I'm wonderful...yay! I'd try to do a split right now, but that'd probably freak out my family...

**Mrs.sodapopcurtis: **Hmm...caramel...Well, I was just wondering what certain people would taste like if they were an ice cream flavor (based on mostly skin tone, and a little bit of personality) and I just thought that caramel would be perfect for Johnny: not quite so flashy and common as fudge, or butterscotch, or the over used vanilla, chocolate, and strawberry...okay, now I'm hungry.

**Vincenza: **Hmm...I wasn't exactly going for sweet when I started out, but then it just turned out that way! I'm glad, 'cause I love sweetness! SWEET SWEET SWEET! My new favorite word!

**MysteriousMaidenOfDarkness: **'tis quite surprising what a little bit o' the ol' sneaky-peek can do to someone! Hmm...I wonder what it could do to Johnny...but I won't do that, maybe in another fic...do I smell an interview with our favorite greasers coming around the corner? Well, ya can't smell it, but you get the point! Hmm...I'll have to write that down and post it up here sometime! Wait a minute–what the hell am I talking about?! I'm too busy with both of my stories to be worrying about this one!

**Fragile-Ego: **lol, I'm glad you finally read it! P.S. "Forgotten Past", big baaaby! (Okay, very strange thing to say considering it's me)

**Ponyboys-girl3: **LOL! Yeah, the part w/ Steve and Soda laughing about the whole "Natasha don't leave me!" thing was actually something that I succeeded in laughing myself to sleep about just the night before, and continued laughing about when it was writing it! Hmm...blackmail could be useful in this situation...

**Streetpanther1: **Yeah, yeah, yeah! I'm glad you like my story!

**Weirdsista: **You love it you love it! Yayyy! I have fans! I'm a happy seafoam-colored bunny!

**Hey now, that's 10 whole reviews for one chapter! Okay, I didn't mean to take up this much space with just thank-you's but they're important too! Alright, today was a really poopy-smelling day (lol!), and in all my wallowing over my big big crush (who hasn't talked to me in like, 2 weeks ON PURPOSE when we used to talk every single day!!! :( ), I came up with some good ideas for the story!–And oh yeah, I've decided to mix a bit of my other story in to this, since they're pretty much going on at around the same time...**

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything except the plot and Angelina and Natasha and the other stuff that is so blindingly cool! (But not as cool as S.E. Hinton!)** **I also do not own the five songs in this chapter–"I Cried" by the Starlighters, "Tears On M Pillow" by Little Anthony and the Imperials, "Crying Over You" by the Nobells, "Your Way" by the Zircons, and "I Only Have Eyes for You" by the Flamingos.**

**Chapter 12: Broken Hearts**

**(Angelina)**

Hangovers.

They're evil, just so you know. I had one just yesterday and man, was I a sick puppy...thankfully, Johnny came over and made sure I was feeling okay and everything. Well, of course, I was _not_, but it was still nice to have him there.

Now it's a cursed Monday morning and I'm walking down a dimly lit hallway towards my physical science classroom. I'm good at physical science...in fact, I would declare myself as great, but I'm absolutely terrible at turning in homework; therefore, I am now failing the course. Well, it's not like I don't try or something, 'cause I really do. It's just...I don't know.

Well, anyways, so I was walking through the halls and I spotted Johnny leaning against Ponyboy's locker, shaking (which is a signal that he's laughing) at something Steve was saying to him–at Two-Bit's expense, judging by the look on his face.

I wandered over slowly, trying to hide my excitement to see Johnny, which had been bubbling up inside of me for quite a while now.

"Um...hey, Johnny," I muttered, setting my back against an adjacent locker. Johnny had already told me what had happened on Saturday night, and let me tell you, it certainly wasn't the most comforting thing...but I still got the notion he was leaving some parts out... Just as I thought I'd overcome being so shy around him, something like that has to happen.

He turned at the sound of his name and gave me a timid smile, wrapping his arms around me momentarily We were both a little nervous about doing anything of the sort right in front of the guys, but it still was nice, despite how awkward it seemed.

"Aww," began Two-Bit teasingly, "our little Johnny's gr–"

But before he could even finish, Johnny shot back, "Ah, shutcha trap, _Keith_. At least I ain't gotta get on my knees and beg like you an' Natasha."

There was pure silence in which my face began to burn mercilessly. Steve raised his eyebrows, Ponyboy looked at Johnny with a grin that made him look identical to Soda, and Two-Bit just looked as if the statement hadn't registered yet in his mind. Then, the whole hallway just about fell in shambles as the three of them (the odd ball being "Keith") erupted in laughter.

Johnny also leaned back on the locker beside me and encircled my shoulders with his left arm, grinning.

"God, Angie," the five of us turned to see a tall, blonde Soc walking by us slowly, surrounded by two other girls of the same type. "I didn't know you went for such trash." She began walking away a little faster at the sight of the guys I was with, who were now glaring at her. And without thinking, I yelled right back at her retreating figure, "Yeah? Well, at least I'm not a bratty, spoiled, slut!"

Now, the four eyes were staring at me, evidently surprised at my choice of words.

"Who was that?" was all Ponyboy could manage to say.

I sighed heavily and shifted my books to my other arm, "Just this girl I used to talk to..._Lee._"

Pony couldn't even respond, he just kept staring past my right ear.

"And I don't know what happens to be so surprising about what I said."

He didn't hear that either. Johnny motioned behind me and I turned around, meeting eyes with a startled-looking black girl who looked about a year younger than me, around Pony's age.

"Um...hi," I said, not quite knowing what to say. It's rather strange to see a colored girl and Ponyboy staring at each other for no apparent reason, if you know what I mean.

Her glazed almond eyes fell on me, and she mumbled a hello.

"Hey Jackie," exclaimed Pony, sounding far, far too eager. I looked back at him to find his eyes widening as they roamed the floor below us.

"Well, I gotta go," she said, sounding a little confused at the silence taking over the group, and headed off in the opposite direction.

I stared after, still bewildered at what had just happened, "Okay, what was _that_ all about?"

Ponyboy just flushed (there seemed to be a lot of that these days) and hurried off, just the way that the girl, Jackie, had.

Johnny turned to me and gave me a quick peck on the cheek, "I'll see ya." He began jogging to catch up to his best friend.

I shrugged and said bye to the smirking Two-Bit and Steve and headed into class.

_Lunch (right after third period)_

I stood outside, sitting on a brick wall, waiting for Two-Bit and Natasha to join me.

After about ten minutes, I saw Natasha making her way over to me across the courtyard.

"Hey, where's Two-Bit?" I asked looking around, expecting Two-Bit to be around somewhere nearby.

"How should I know?" She asked, her eyes widening, and quickly shoving some french fries in her mouth. I just smirked, having been filled in on the two's _intimate _actions the other night by Steve and Johnny.

"Oh yeah," she said, finishing off the fries, "and I got a note for you."

She fumbled around in her pockets for a while, finally pulling out a crumpled slip of paper and handing it to me.

_I don't think our relationship's working out. I just don't know _

_what I ever saw in you. I guess this mean's it's over, so bye._

–_Johnny._

I read it over a million times, before re-crumpling it and putting it in my purse absent-mindedly.

"What it say," asked Natasha eagerly.

I just continued to stare ahead, running the words of the note over and over in my mind.

"Angie?" Natasha touched my arm, appearing concerned.

"He..." I still couldn't believe it. I'd only talked to human hour ago, "He broke up with me."

She was quiet for a long while, then she put an arm around me, reminding me of Johnny just this morning. I shrugged her off and she looked a little hurt, but I ignored it. I couldn't believe it.

We spent the rest of the period in absolute silence, jumping when the bell rang for fourth period.

"Umm..." she sounded unusually uncomfortable for the first time around me, "Are you gonna be okay?"

I nodded determinedly and gathered my books, heading off to fourth period...

_Wait, Johnny's in that class...He didn't even have the damn guts to tell me face to face._ I shook my head, trying to tell myself it just wasn't real. But as soon as I walked into class and noticed his absence from the seat beside me, all reality came rushing into my heart, declaring the worst to be.

The whole class period, I kept my eyes on the drawn patterns on my desk, not saying anything unless I was spoken to. I could feel the tears about to fall, but thankfully, the bell rang, and I just about ran out of the door.

I wiped away the tears stubbornly, determined to keep my cool.

I walked home that afternoon–that is, after I'd already waited fifteen minutes for Two-Bit and Johnny to get a ride home by reflex.

The whole house felt unusually cold that day and I hurried to my room, which was always a little warmer than the others. I laid down underneath the comforter, turned on the radio beside my bed, and waited for the cure we love to call music to fill my ears.

_Last night I went to bed and I laid my head down my pillow then my tears began to flow_

Oh god, I thought and turned the station quickly.

_You don't remember me, but I remember you. 'Twas not so long ago you broke my heart in two_.

(Turned the station)

_If I only had you...my life would be so blue. I'd cry all day..._

(Turned the station)

_You always will remember. You never will forget the one you love..._

(Turned the station)

_...for you dear. I don't know if we're in a garden. Or on a crowded avenue._

I gave up and just let the tears fall as the song that Johnny had dedicated to me just two days ago played for what seemed like years...

Apparently I had drifted off because when I woke up, the blankets were tucked all around me and the light in my room, along with the radio, was turned off. I stood up and threw on a jacket and ventured into the living room.

"Mom?"

My mother peeked out from behind the kitchen doorway.

"I'm gonna go for a little walk, alright?"

She nodded, but told me to make sure to be back before dinner.

The temperature did not change much as I stepped out into the open. I just stood there for a while, staring at the vacant lot, finally heading over there. My stomach was all in knots and it felt as if a golf ball had settled itself in my throat. I sat down in front of a pile of ashes, which still contained some embers in it. It was so silent that for a moment I thought I had gone deaf. My eyes wandered over to the Curtis residence and for a moment, I considered going there, but I immediately refused the urge. Johnny would probably be there.

_Johnny..._

Suddenly, a hand grabbed me under the arms and hauled me to my feet. I searched for the owner fo the strong grip, frantically struggling against it.

"Well, well," a scheming voice said from somewhere behind me, obviously not that of whoever was holding me.

I struggled even more after realizing the fact that there was probably more than just two of them.

"It seems we meet again, Grease."

And at that moment, a face I had only seen once–once too much–came into view.

**Ahahaha!!! I'm evil and I love it! Well, my ribs feel like they're about to collapse since I've been sitting in this chair for so long. An air of mystery...REQUIRES REVIEWS! ;)**


	13. A Bit of Comfort? Part 1

**I'm baaack! Okay, so (as some of you might already know) I went to New York for a little more than a week and came back on the 3rd. Long, long train ride, but it did give me a chance to write down most of this chapter.**

**Mrs.sodapopcurtis: **Hee, hee, hee, I paralyzed someone! Ha ha ha ha ha, I'm not gonna tell you! I know something you don't know!

**Vincenza: **Oh, he didn't? That's MY secret! (I'm not saying you're right or wrong...I'll never tell)

**SqUiDsLiLpYrO: **What was that? "I don't know your wonder secret"? Ha ha...

**Miss cheerful: **Oh, you've figured it all out haven't you? NO!!!! I'm so proud of my evil ways!

**Streetpanther1: **Good work, good work, I did a good job! You don't know my secret, I'm so sneaky!

**Gethorssca: **You don't know, but I do! Thanks for the compliment, poo poo poo! (I know you admire my rhyming skills)

**Eyes of Brown: **Yes, I'm afraid quite a few people are wishing they could just reach through the computer and wring my neck...especially since I didn't update for so long.

**AngryPrincess13: **You have such a beautiful way with words...

**Ponyisgoldxxx: **Have you read my other fic "The New Girl"? That's where the whole Jackie/Pony thing's goin' on...hmm...I can't remember. Betting isn't nice–especially when you don't know my secret!!!

**JohnnyLover17:** Yay, it's a J-j-j-johnny lover like me!!! Well, you've got your wish....

**Dreamer4lyf718:** Oi, there's so many possibilities...I'm a FAVORITE author! Yipee! Is suddenly able to do a back flip!

**Gloryblastit: **bows repeatedly I am not worthy, I am not worthy! (Lol, thanks!)

**Okay, sugar dumplings, on with the mystery of Johnny and Angelina's relationship!**

**Chapter 13: A Bit of Comfort?**

For a second, I couldn't think or breathe or move or anything, out of fear that it would trigger one of them to do something. I desperately wanted to scream for someone, but as soon as I opened my mouth, I realized that I had absolutely no idea who that could be. All I could think of was Johnny, and of course, how could I call on him now? After all, it was mostly his fault that all this was happening to me: he was a Greaser which immediately brought all these damn Socs down on me; plus, if it wasn't for him, I wouldn't even be in this lot right now...'probably would have been over at the Curtis', safe, warm...

"Get on the ground," one of them said. His voice was a little shaky though, like even he was unsure of his actions. He looked kind of young too, maybe even fifteen. I knelt down in front of one of them, not really sure if it was the one that had given me the command or not. In the dark (and in this situation), they all looked pretty much the same to me.

A light shone in my face now, probably a flashlight or something and one of them with a sort of high pitched voice said, "God, Johnny, she looks like she's thirteen or something! Maybe we should just get out of here."

_Johnny_. I thought wildly, suddenly regaining my composure, _that bastard_. And then, I stood up, not facing anyone in particular and brushed my skirt off.

"Where the hell is Johnny?"There was silence for a few seconds, then the boy next to me, on my right, laughed and raise his hand a bit to show that he was the guilty party. I turned directly towards him and kicked him right where it hurts. Then, somebody smacked me in the back of my head, but I barely felt it. The two other boys just stared at me for a while , then back at "Johnny" who was holding his crotch on the ground. Then, the one holding the flash light shined it down on Johnny. I suddenly realized what I had just done–the guy didn't even _look _in any way like Johnny Cade...

But what was done was done and there was absolutely no time to think about it. Thankfully, I sort of snapped out of my daze before the other two, and I took the chance to get the hell outta there and head towards someone's house. But first, I had to gain some momentum; they were too close now for me to stop or anything, so I kept running until I was a good distance ahead of the both of them, then turned into a shabby house.

I pounded on the door as hard as I could, scared out of my mind that maybe there was no one there or they wouldn't answer the door soon enough and the two boys would catch up to me.

"What d'you want!" said a female voice from the other side of the door.

" Please God," I gasped, looking behind me. The two were practically about to climb on the porch, "just open the door. Please!"

The door swing open almost immediately and the woman pulled me inside and slammed the door, leaning on it with what looked like all of her weight.

"Well," she said loudly, "don't just stand there, god dammit, _help_."

"Okay," I said stupidly and leaned on the old door also.

"_Let's just go, man,", _one of them said, _"She ain't gonna come outta there."_

"_Yeah, I guess," _said the boy with a high-pitched voice.

Then, there was the sound of footsteps, which I guessed was them leaving.

"Gosh, ma'am," I said, standing up a little bit, "thanks for all your help and all, but I've really got to get back home."

"Oh no, "she state, shaking her head, "You're not going anywhere, not while they're still out there."

She pointed to the peephole in the door, and sure enough, when I looked through, they were both still standing on the porch with their hands over their mouths, trying not to make any noise.

"God, how'd you know that?"

She shook her blonde head again and chuckled to herself.

"Experience."

I nodded and we waited silently for what seemed like forever for the Socs to finally leave.

She locked the door after they had turned the corner and put a chair under the door knob, the whole time keeping a straight face as if it happened all the time.

"You, uh, really seem to know about what to do in this kind of situation, huh?"

She smirked and ran a hand through her hair.

"Well, livin' with a delinquent pays off, now doesn't it?"

"Um," I stumbled a little over my words. A delinquent? "What delinquent?"

"Aww, he's not _bad_, just a little tough, you know." I guess I didn't look too comfortable about the whole thing because then she said, "He's still a teenager for Christ's sake, it's all right, you can go up and meet him."

I shrugged and decided that maybe I should since she had been so nice to me. I didn't want her to feel insulted or anything.

So I went down the hall, to the last door on the left, as she had directed me and knocked on the door after a moment's hesitation.

"Mom, you know you don't have to knock..." said a familiar voice from the other side and before I could respond, the door flew open.

And there was Dally, hair askew, shirtless, looking just as shocked as I probably did.

"Angie, what are you doing here?"

"What am _I _doing here? I..." I stopped from telling him about the Socs and everything, remembering how angry he had gotten the last time, so instead I blurted out, "I broke up with Johnny." _Oh, well, like that was much better._

He stared at me for an extremely long time then just muttered, "When?"

"Today."

He sighed deeply, then ushered me into his small room. I sat on the bed and gazed around at the posters tacked on his walls.

"God, Dal, I didn't know you liked music."

"Well," he grunted, laying behind me, "I _do _have a life ya know."

I smiled, but not much. I was still pretty shaken up about the Socs.

"That's too bad," he said after a while.

"What is?"

"You and Johnny. God, you guys were practically the only thing I had hope for anymore."

I almost felt guilty for a second, like I'd let Dally down or something.

Then, he sat up and he...he kissed me.

**Okay you guys, I'm listening to Gloria (!) Right now by Van Morrison and I really wish I could think of a little more** **to write, but I guess I'll just leave you with a cliffhanger for now. It's 3:11 in the morning anyway, so I guess I need to get some shut-eye for tomorrow (which for once in my life, I will be posting another chapter for you all two days in a row!). I'm not even tired...poopy. Read and review!**


	14. Romance

**Yes, I'm updating whoop dee doo. Ugh, why don't I feel hyper right now! This is so frustrating. Okay, well, I decided to pay a little DIShonor to that cursed "holiday" we like to call Valentine's Day which is unfortunately coming up soon in the next couple a' chapters...maybe this one. Oi, maybe I should go to bed...no! I-can't–must-update!**

**And thanks to my reviewers to whom I am sorry I can't thank properly right now:**

**...God, I'm so confused–which reviews are for which chapters!...**

**Dreamer for lyf: **Well, I _was _going to reveal that in this chapter, but I just decided like, 2 seconds ago that I would completely torture you guys with a short chapter and having the whole thing not deal in any way w/ the whole Dally and Angie thing.

**Gloryblastit: **A review glitch sounds scary...but anyway, thanx for za compliment and...I don't know about Johnny. Maybe he broke up with her, maybe he didn't...

**Bleezie: **Um...really strange image of a bald head...like on Toys Story...well start pastin' those follicles back on that scalp 'cause your just gonna tear them out again: I'm not even going to address the cliffhanger in this chappie...wow, I'm really starting to not like my own self...cool!

**streetpanther1: **sigh I knew this would happen. Everyone else reading this is rooting for Johnny...tisk, tisk...but hey, I love Dal too.

**Vincenza: **It just took me a million years to spell your name right...I'm beginning to feel a little bad. All of you were waiting for an amazing update or something and I'm giving you..._this_.

**Ponyboys-girl3:** I can't promise anything...I'm just improvising this chapter b/c it's been bothering me to get up at least one chapter this week.

**Enchantinglyeuphoric: **thanx. God, I'm so deprived of good words today! FRUSTRATION!

**The Good Girl: **Yes, yes. That's what I said...

**x CelluloidTears x: **Why is everyone trying to make me feel guilty! I'm going to let you down right about...now.

**Chapter 14: Romance**

**Natasha's POV**

Johnny Cade. I couldn't believe it. He'd broken Angelina's heart.

This afternoon, I had waited for almost twenty minutes for her to show up after I didn't find her waiting in her usual spot outside of my class after school. I had called her house when I got home and there was no answer. I called once again later that evening , but this time, her mother answered and told me that she had gone for a walk. Now, I was on the way to the Curtis's house which was only a little down the road from Angie's.

I'd only been there once, but it wasn't too hard to find, considering you could hear everything going on inside down the block.

I hadn't seen Two-Bit around since the night of the double-date, which I could hardly remember anyway. I didn't really like any of his friends at all...not that I really knew them or anything...well, I don't really know exactly why I don't like them. They're no worse than anybody else, I guess...but they're just kinda wild. I'd heard the stuff Dallas Winston did. Everyone had. I just couldn't be friends with people like that.

Johnny was quiet all the time; I didn't even know who he was until Angelina mentioned him one day. I don't really know what she saw in him, though. I mean, he was nice, I guess, but it wasn't like he ever spoke. I didn't think he was all that great lookin' either, kinda scrawny and always slouched over. He wasn't ugly or anything...just not anything special–especially compared to Two-Bit.

Two-Bit wasn't hard to notice, being as loud as he was. He was almost three years older than me, but still acted like a little kid. I was a big fan of his hair, but his side burns kinda remind me of Elvis or something.

I trotted up the steps, reciting my plans in my head for the thousandth time: _just ask for Two-Bit and leave, ask for Two-Bit and leave. _They all kinda made me nervous so I was just gonna go if he wasn't around.

I knocked on the door and waited a while. I could hear inside arguing over who was going to answer it.

Finally, after what seemed like years, Sodapop Curtis opened it. Jimi Hendrix's "Fire" just about smacked me in the face and echoed throughout the neighborhood.

"Who are you?" he asked rather rudely, squinting at me.

"Um," I stammered, trying to see over his shoulder, "I-I'm N–Angelina's...um...friend."

He leaned against the doorway with his arms crossed and looked up toward the sky for a very...long, strange silence.

His lips pursed and a finger pointed at me, "_Nooo_."

"Um, excuse me?"

He was grinning now and a finger was pointing in my general direction, "It _can't _be."

"It can't be what?"

"You–you're the girl that got _drunk_ that time!"

_Oh God_, I thought, _Can't _anyone _just forget that?_

I sighed and pushed past his doubled up figure into their living room.

"Hey, has anyone seen Two-Bit lately?" I asked, raising my voice over the sound of the TV. No answers. I never knew television was so mesmerizing.

I was about to turn and leave when I saw Johnny. He was holding some ice cubes wrapped in paper towels over a purplish-yellow bruise on his left cheek, staring blankly in the direction of the TV screen.

"Geez, kid," I began, walking a little closer to him, "what happened to your _face_?"

He looked up at me, then back down at his lap, as if deciding how to put it into words. Well, he didn't have a chance to do any of that, considering I answered that question about two seconds after asking it.

"Well, whatever it is you _deserved_ it!"

Everyone turned to stare at me as I marched past a dumbfounded Sodapop and straight into Two-Bit Mathews.

"Well, _hey_," he started, holding me loosely by my arms in front of him.

A minute ago, I would have stopped and taken the time to at least said hello, but instead, I pushed past him and continued down the steps.

"_Hey_," he said again, but sounding rather annoyed and curious at the same time, "where are you going?"

He jogged up to me and I tried to walk even faster than I was already.

He crossed in front of my and stood in my path.

"What's wrong?" he asked holding me in the same position he had before.

I shook my head, frustrated at his persistence.

"Natasha–wait!" called an out-of-breath voice from behind me.

I turned and saw Johnny running towards the two of us.

"I–" he paused to catch his breath, "I know she's probably mad, but–"

"_Mad_!" I turned on him again, probably making my advantage in height very obvious, "She's too _devastated _to probably be mad!"

"I know–I'm sorry, just...I'm _sorry._"

I just stared at him, getting angrier and angrier by the minute. I didn't know what to believe anymore.

**Heh heh heh. This turned out a lot more relevant than I thought it would. Why is this called "Romance"? I have no clue, but it sounds cool! And to Mrs. Benji Madden: lol! I'm so happy to have a brand new reviewer! Well, I HOPE I can find the heart to update soon...but in the meantime, review!**


	15. Sick of this Life

**Gasp! Oh my God, am I UPDATING! Yes, yes! And I can't wait for the reviews! Ah, it's so refreshing being here again! Sorry for such a long wait...how long has it been...three months? Wow...well, anyways, we're here to give you what you actually _want_ to here, so...**

**Hey–more than one hundred reviews! My life is complete. I can't reply to TWENTY (yay!) Reviews, but I love that I'm making you guys crazy! Hahaha! Anyways, on with the fic!**

**Chapter 14: Sick of this Life **

His lips were on mine, but neither of us was doing anything. My mind immediately went to Johnny, much to my frustration. I was sick of thinking about him all the time. Why couldn't I just kiss Dally back and forget about the whole thing?

I was very aware of the fact that a lot of girls around here would have killed for this oppurtinity, and here I was feeling guilty.

Dallas pulled away from me suddenly, looking rather angry...I guess he had that right, considering I hadn't even responded to his kiss.

**Dally's P.O.V.**

As soon as I kissed her, I had done the wrong thing. That was the thing to do when a girl came crying to you about something–it was usually about their boyfriends too, which meant that they were ready to take revenge. It was more of a reflex than something I actually wanted to do. I mean, Angelina's pretty and all, but she's Johnny's girl.

I pulled away from her and for the first time, I became annoyed with the way I lived. What if Johnny had walked in at that moment? Then it would be _my_ fault that his heart was broken.

For a moment, when she had first told me that Johnny had broken up with her, I was happy. I guess I was just...jealous of her. I was used to having him to myself. Now, don't get me wrong, I like Angelina–she's the only girl I'd ever trust with Johnny–it was just a momentary thought.

She was looking at the ground by this time and it kind of reminded me of Johnny. Whenever I'd get mad about something, he'd always immediately assume that it was something he had done...which suddenly made me realize that Johnny would ever do anything to make someone mad. And from the way he always talked about Angie, and the way he was always a lot more happy when she was around. He couldn't possibly break her heart, as much as I knew he loved her.

I stood up and started putting on my jacket and socks and shoes, all of which were worn from constant use. I came back over to where she was sitting in the same position and knelt down if front of her.

"Look," I began, trying to find the right words, "I'm, uh...I dodn't mean to embarrass you or anything...It ain't _your _fault. I'm the one who kissed ya."

She looked up at me with the slightest trace of tears in her eyes.

"I just wanna go home," she said shaking her head and walking to the door.

I asked if I could walk her ther and she just shrugged.

I'd almost forgotten my mother was home, she'd been so quiet. She was usually screaming at me whenever I finally did come home and she'd start up again as soon as I left again. She was sitting on the counch in a black slip, blankly watching the glowing screen. I went over and turned it off.

"What the hell are you doing!" she yelled, standing up.

"What do you mean 'what am I doing?'" I shouted back, "You weren't even watching it!"

"So what?"

"So we can't afford it!"

She was really pissing me off. I knew she was trying to, too.

"It's not my fault! You need a job. You're just like your father–no good!"

I lifted my hand like I was going to give her one good one across the face. She didn't even care; infact, she was smiling up at me, probably enjoying my anger. I raised my arm higher–maybe it would make her back down–she didn't.

"Hey, Dally," spoke Angelina, tugging on my arm, "Let it go, okay? No sweat."

I relaxed and straightened my collar coolly.

"Fuck you," I said, right in my mother's face.

She just rolled her eyes and tuned the television back on. Whatever, I didn't care anymore.

I slammed the door behind me, then opened it and slammed it again. I trotted down the steps to where Angelina was waiting for me. You get used to that kind of thing after a while.

"She's right," I said after we'd gone about a block, "I'm just like my old man."

I guess she was in a bad mood because of all the things that she'd been through in the past twenty-four hours.

"So why do you care?" Christ, I could barley hear her.

"What are you, kidding me?" I lauged bitterly, "Man, my dad's like...Johnny's dad, 'cept he ain't around to hit me."

I dug a pack of cigarettes out of my coat pocket. I lit one of them and held it out to Angelinga.

"Want one?" I asked, already knowing her answer.

She shook her head and I shrugged, putting the half-empty pack in my pocket.

It was sort of weird that she didn't smoke, considering everyone around her did, Scs too.

"I'm sick of this goddam town and the goddam people and my goddam life." I paused for a second then, realizing that she wasn't going to say anything, continued, "I just don't want to live anywheere–not even New York."

She sighed, "I don't think your like your dad, Dallas."

"I guess I can't leave, though...well, I could, but Johnny, you know...The gang and you, I guess."

I'd heard what she'd said, but I ignored it. She didn't know my father.

"See?" she said finally, looking at me, "You care about people–well, at least _one _person."

"Hell,"I laughed, "I don't know what you're talkin', man; I don't care abou no one damn person 'cept myself."

I just said that to be taying that and she knew I was, too; I could tell. I wasn't oo comfortable with that, but I let it go.

We'd reached her house after what seemed like an hour of silence (even though her place was only about ten minutes' walking distance).

She unlocked her door and looked back at me.

"Look Dal, don't worry about the kiss, okay?"

I shrugged, "Yeah, okay...I'll, uh, I'll see you around."

She nodded and closed the door.

I stood on the prch until I'd finished my cigarette.

Then, I headed down to the Curtis's.

Only Johnny and Steve were sitting in the living room.

"Hey, where _is_ everybody?"

Steve looked at me, obviously drunk.

"Out, man...Ponyboy's in his room. Sit down, Dal-lass."

I rolled my ass. Boy, Steve was one hell of a drag when he was drunk. I hopped over the back of the couch and landed next to Johnny.

"Hey Johnny, how's it goin'?" I said, ruffling his hair and pushing him around playfully, "Huh, Johnny? What's shakin'?"

He weasled away from me, looking irritated, "C'mon Dally; I don't feel good, man."

"Oh yeah?" I said, sitting back, "Is it about Angelina? Is that it?"

Steve smiled as he watched us, clueless.

Johnny didn't answer. He just went and sat down at the kitchen table with his head down.

"You really broke up with her?" I asked, standing up in the middle of the room.

I could hear a sigh and a muffled Yes.

"What!" I exclaimed, louder than I meant to.

Hell, I really didn't expect _that_.

"Goddammit, Johnny, what's the matter with you? You know what...I don't know, I just have no clue anymore. I can't believe you, Johnny!"

I just stared at him in disbelief for a while.

"Don't you have anything to say for yourself?"

He sat up and stared at me.

"Johnny, that look isn't going to work now. You broke her heart. What were you thinking?"

Steve laughed loudly. "You fucked up, Johnny...Broke her heart."

I couldn't stand those two anymore, so I just went into Ponyboy's room, hoping he wasn't asleep. At least he had some sense.

"Hey, Ponyboy?" I said loudly. He had fallen asleep on his homework.

He opened his red eyes and and sat up.

"Where'd you come from, Dal?" he said groggily.

"The sky; I fell. Did you hear Johnny broke up with Angelina?"

"Yeah..." he looked around him, trying to find something, "Her friend or whatever came over this afternoon, practically killed him for it."

I laid down on his and Soda's bed. "Well, he deserves it. I can't believe him. Why would he break up with her? Why the _hell _would he break up with Angelina?"

I waited for an answer, and when one didn't come, I looked over at Pony. He had fallen asleep again.


	16. Amends

**Hey, look! I'm updating! Well, only a two more to go (finally!), so I hope you enjoy this.

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**Chapter 15: Amends**

Of all days, Johnny had finally come back to school on a Friday. I hadn't seen him around our neighborhood but maybe once or twice, and he was usually walking somewhere with a cigarette hanging halfway out of his mouth and his hands shoved in his pockets. I realized that he looked a lot older than me-and harder. He was tough; the kind of tough that you have to be to get through such a hard life. I then began wondering why the hell he'd ever gone out with me in the first place. I mean, in the near sixteen years I've lived in this neighborhood, he'd only spoken to me once when I was in the first grade and he was in the second and he'd been running home from somewhere and ran straight into me, who happened to be playing hopscotch in front of my house. The fall knocked the wind out of me and I just laid there, stunned, for a few seconds as he just stared down at me. My aunt, who had been visiting from California that month, had been watching the whole time. She ran out of the house, flailing her arms and screaming " What did you _do_ to her?" at Johnny. I stood up slowly, gingerly touching my elbow just to see how much it hurt (an odd habit that I still have) and stared at Johnny for quite a while.

He was looking at his feet as my aunt yelled at him to watch where he was going and to slow down and everything else that pertains to running down a sidewalk. Of course, then, I was merely curious as to who this strange boy was who interrupted my hopping; and I suppose that's the only thing that ever made me notice Johnny. After that, I saw him in school and discreetly watched him playing outside, sometimes with the kids that would grow up to join him in the unorganized gang that I somehow had become apart of. As I got older, this curiosity turned into a small crush and then a sort of internal obsession (but not in a disturbing, stalker way).

However infatuated I was with him, I never did quite imagine him beyond "the boy who lives down the street", and after we were put in the same class as each other, I never imagined him beyond "the boy who sits next to me". And so, it's inevitable that I never _seriously_ thought of our relationship ever taking any wrong turns as it now has.

Everyday, I was nervous to go to school and having to see him in the hallways again and having to deal with the awkwardness that I already knew would be between us. But on Friday, after four days of his absence, I felt confident that I could relax for the day; and that happened to be the day that he came back.

He always missed school, but I could never guess what he would be doing with all that free time without getting caught ditching. I knew he didn't stay home-he never stayed home.

I was reading MAD, a magazine that I had amused myself with the past few days to keep my mind off of Johnny just before class started and the bell was going to ring in a few seconds when the door creaked open and he inched into the room. His eyes immediately landed on me, then darted away at the nearest thing possible. I also looked away, pretending to be deeply interested in my textbook. He walked slowly down the row between our desks and sat down awkwardly.

"Late again, Cade," our teacher called from his desk.

"Yeah, I know. Sorry." Johnny said quietly (but unapologetically), slumping a little in his chair.

The teacher turned in his seat to look at him. "You're flunking out of my class, Jonathan. You could at least _earn_ the F you've got."

The class chuckled at this but Johnny didn't say anything, just stared at his desk blankly. I felt as though I should say something-I wanted to-but I didn't know what. Class started about a minute later, something about infections, but I wasn't listening anymore. I was too busy sneaking looks at Johnny, a small part of me wishing that he would look up too; but he was still gloomily staring at nothing in particular from under his long bangs. I wanted to tell him that I thought Mr. Lipton was a jerk and that he didn't know Johnny well enough to talk, but I couldn't even bring myself to say hello. You'd think I would hate him, but it was kind of hard to keep that note on my mind with him sitting there like that-just the way I loved for him to be before we went out-brought back all the stupid feelings from back then.

It remained that way as the class carried on with their bacterial discussions, the words going through my ears and getting lost in my brain. I could only think of the boy in the next row.

"Hey, Angie, wait up!"

I slowed down and turned around, secretly wishing with all my heart that it would be Johnny.

"I'm so sorry for what I did. I was just scared of a real relationship," he would say, grasping my hand in his in desperation, "But I've realized how much you mean to me and how much I-I…love you."

But of course it was not Johnny. I turned to see Two-Bit Mathews striding towards me with his big cowboy boots. Well, I was still glad it was him I guess; better Two-Bit than no one.

"How's it going?" he asked, slinging his arm around me playfully (but with enough strength to knock me clear off my feet). His hair wasn't greased as heavily as he usually wore it today which made it look a lot lighter; there was a fresh cut on his bottom lip and another across the top of his ear.

I shrugged. "It's going. What'd you get in a fight or something?"

"Not much of a fight, I'd say. Son'va bitch took a knife to my face. Well, right then we heard some sirens-you know how that goes-and the guy takes off with the blade still at my cheek and everything. Scraped me a little, but nothing more." He let out a small chuckle as we ventured outside. It was lunch. Lately, him and me had just hung out and sometimes walked to a diner nearby. I liked hanging out with Two-Bit 'cause he was usually pretty entertaining or just relaxed, not always asking me how I was "holding up"; besides, I liked hearing him talk. He had this Western accent that would have made me fall for him if I wasn't so hung up on You-Know-Who.

But that's beside the point.

I sat down on the brick wall (the same place Johnny and I had once sat some time ago) and he leaned one arm against it, facing me.

"What?" I said, feeling his eyes burning into the side of my head.

"Are…are you okay, Angie, 'cause you act like nothing's happened."

And there goes Two-Bit.

I shrugged, hoping he would get the hint that I didn't want to talk about it at all. Basically, the whole week, I had been trying to just forget about the whole break-up thing and when I couldn't help but think about it, I'd just try to convince myself that it was no big loss-I mean, we had only been together a couple of weeks.

"I know you guys didn't go out for very long at all, but…" he paused and stared at me as if he was contemplating on whether he should say what he was thinking, "but…I mean, it was pretty obvious that you guys were, like, made for each other or something.

I rolled my eyes. "Look, I just don't want to talk about him, okay?"

I hopped off the wall and was about to walk away, but he stood in my way.

"All I'm sayin' is you guys just can't leave this alone and pretend like nothing happened…I mean, you could at least _officially_ break up. You never even talked to each other about it. Angelina, Johnny used to be really…"

But I wasn't listening to Two-Bit. I was concentrating too much on trying to hide behind him, as Johnny himself had just walked out of the double doors that lead outside. Apparently Two-Bit noticed that I was paying attention anymore because he too turned around to see what I was staring at. As soon as he spotted Johnny he turned back to me and raised one eyebrow, then he turned back around and waved his hand in the air. "Hey, Johnny! Come here!"

My eyes went wide and punched Two-Bit's shoulder. "What the hell did you do that for? Now he's com-"

But I stopped talking because Johnny had just come up next Two-bit.

"Hey," he said to Two-Bit and then mumbled the same to me.

"Don't talk to me," I said and looked past him, crossing my arms over my chest; then, I instantly wished that I had just remained silent. I had wanted to convey the message that I was really mad at him, but if he explained, he might have a chance, not "I hate you and I never want to speak to you again".

"Okay," he said pathetically, but with a hint of annoyance in his voice, "What's going on, Two-Bit?"

Two-Bit shifted the cigarette that he had just lit during Johnny and I's little altercation to the side of his mouth. "Nothing much," he said, "I'll see you guys later, though; Jay un rundevoos in twenty minutes avek asshole."

"What?" Johnny and I said simultaneously.

"Means I gotta go meet with that guy that cut me in about twenty minutes. It's French."

I laughed as he waved and strolled off away from the school; however, that laugh died down as Johnny and I caught each other's eye. It was quiet for a whileas we both stared at our feet, until Johnny began to speak.

"Uh…I know you don't-"

"I gotta go," I cut him off suddenly, but I couldn't bring myself to actually walk away. Noticing this, he continued with what he was going to say.

"I know you don't really want to talk to me…"

No, no, I do! I was just being stupid when I said that. I don't why I was so mean…

"but I-I'm just really sorry about writing you that note…"_I know and I forgive you for_-"Wait, what!" I exclaimed, startling him

"I'm-I'm sorry. I just…didn't Natasha tell you?"

I shook my head in confusion. "…No she didn't as a matter of fact. And you know what? I don't even care anymore."

And I started off towards the school, but like Two-Bit he stood in front of me to block my way.

"Move." I stated menacingly, but he didn't flinch.

"Listen, just…let me explain before you say anything."

I rolled my eyes and uncrossed my arms. "Fine, go ahead. But it better be good."

He took a deep breath and slowly confessed, "My dad…he…beats me sometimes."

I suddenly felt very uncomfortable listening to him.

"Yeah…I know," I said stupidly.

He didn't say anything for a while, then, "Well…this one night he did and then he told me that it was because he saw me with…you." At this, my eyes lowered. "But it ain't your fault. That was just his excuse for getting me to do what he wanted me to: writing the note…and…well, nevermind. I'm just really sorry."

After a moment of silence, I wondered aloud, "And what?"

He looked confused.

"You said writing the note _and_ something," I explained, "What'd he make you do?"

"Oh," he said, his voice changing, "Well, I don't know if I should tell you."

Normally, I wouldn't have pressed the issue, but my curiosity was getting the best of me. "Why not? I won't tell anybody."

His expression was painful. "You promise?"

I was silent. I mean, if his dad had stabbed him or something, I'd tell the police or Darry, but I really wanted to know… "Sure, I promise."

Once again, he took another deep breath before beginning.

"He, uh….made me…" but it appeared as though he couldn't finish the sentence. Suddenly, I came to a very hard-hitting and disturbing realization.

"Did he rape you?" I whispered harshly, my heart feeling as though it had just shriveled up. All this time, I was so angry at him and here he was getting raped and God knows what else.

But he shook his head slowly. "No…but I had to…give him a…you know," he finally finished. It even made _me_ feel sick.

"Well, have you been back?" I asked, although it seemed an absurd question to me. But I had seen on some news special that kids that are abused usually just take it or don't even realize that there's anything wrong with what's happening to them. It was weird, though, imagining Johnny as "an abused child". It was terrifying having such disgusting images going through my head all at once.

"No. I've been stayin' at Two-Bit's. But he don't know why I am."

I was at a loss for words…and so I just hugged him. He hugged me back awkwardly and just then, the bell rung. We separated and just sort of watched all the kids filing into the building.

"I…Wanna walk me home this afternoon?" I asked hopefully, feeling sorry that I was even considering going to class right now. He nodded and sighed.

"So you're not mad at me anymore?" he said after a while. I just smiled and shook my head.

"I've got to go to class, though. But I'll see you then?"

He nodded again and I turned to walk into the school; then, as an afterthought, I came back and gave him a quick kiss on the lips.

"See ya," I said, blushing despite my efforts not to. Then, I headed through the double doors, leaving him standing there on the deserted patio.

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**I'm a really evil person, aren't I? I bet you're all thinking "How could you do that to Johnny?" Well, ask my brain, not me. (Duh, duh, cht!) I know I'm switching POV's a lot, but...deal with it! Remember–reviews are good (and so are ideas, even though we're almost at the end). **

**To my reviewers:**

**LovemyJohnny: Glad you've stumbled upon this. Thanks for actually thinking I'm funny!**

**Raige: Ah yes, the non-Mary-Sue is my goal in life! Thanks!**

**Bex: I just had visual of Dally rolling his ass...very scary. But thanks for pointing that out.**

**And thanks to everyone else for reviewing! Keep it up.**


	17. I Can't Take this Anymore

**Chapter 17: I Can't Take This Anymore**

"I don't know, we haven't really confirmed anything quite yet..." I said, a small smile permanent plastered on my face. Natasha sighed dramatically on the other end of the line, laughing lightly.

"Well, even so, I'm really happy for you, Angie," she said seriously and I got a strange content sensation in my stomach, something that seemed to be happening very often recently, "You deserve to be happy."

"Thanks, Natasha," I responded happily, "I really mean it. And you deserve to be happy too..."

"What's that supposed to mean?" I could tell by the tone of her voice she was probably arching an eyebrow right now.

"It means Two-Bit. Don't act like you guys aren't completely into each other; the white word can tell."

There was a scandalized huff but it just made my grin wider. Just then, I heard my window open. I turned to see Johnny climbing in and quickly muttered a goodbye to Natasha before hanging up the phone.

"Hey," Johnny almost whispered, sliding the window shut behind him.

"No trouble?" I asked concernedly, going over to him for a long hug. He wrapped his slim arms around my shoulders and sighed into my hair; God, I was so happy to be able to do this kind of stuff again.

"Nah, my mom was the only one home and of course she didn't notice," he answered, running the tips of his fingers down to my shoulder blades and holding on there. I looked up at those big black eyes and frowned at the melancholy tone in his voice.

"Johnny.." I began, ready to launch into a full front pep talk, but he just pulled me into his shoulder agin and kissed the top of my forehead.

"It's okay, I don't care...I've got you and that's all that matters."

And how could any girl in her right mind argue with that?

This had been the routine for about a week now. Three days after making up, Johnny had knocked on my bedroom window around midnight, shivering so much his hands were shaking as they smoothed my hair back away from my face. I had groggily asked him what was wrong, and after a long moment of silence, he'd merely shook his dark head and muttered that it was cold. I wanted to ask why we hadn't just gone to the Curtis house where he was more than welcome but I didn't for a number of reasons--mostly because I wanted him to be there no matter what my mother would say if he she found him on my floor the next morning. Of course she didn't have the chance to because before the sun had even fully risen, Johnny was sliding his jean jacket back on and kissing me for the first time in a month before climbing out my window. The next right was the same, with the same excuse and same gentle kiss in the morning, as were the next five nights. Each morning though the kiss would be different; either it would last longer or get deeper or his hands would move from tilting up my chin to cupping my cheeks. They had become the center of my thoughts and certainly what I looked forward to, the most during this late-night visits.

Johnny shrugged off his jacket and sat down on my bed, crossing his legs, and I sat down next to him.

"Sorry I came so early," he said, still speaking in a low when my dad would get home."

I nodded and told him it was okay. His words caught me a bit off guard though; before, he'd always used the weather as his excuse for crashing at my house the past few nights. Both of us had desperately avoided the real reason for his comings and goings and now he was so blatantly venturing into uncomfortable territory.

His hair hung across his eyes as he picked up a picture frame that lay by my foot on its front. He turned it over and by looking over his shoulder, I saw that it was a color picture of the two of us that Ponyboy had drawn for me God knows when. It was of Johnny and I holding hands outside in the vacant lot during a football game they'd been playing. It was actually a drawing of a picture Soda had taken of me, Johnny, Two-Bit, Dally, and Pony before they actually started a serious game. Everyone had gathered around as soon as the middle Curtis brother had brought out Darry's camera but Pony had taken them all out, only leaving Johnny and I alone on the bench because (according to him) it captured us together too perfectly to pass up. In the photograph, I'd been simply smiling at the camera, apparently happy to have Johnny's fingers entangled with mine. He was looking down at me with the tiniest hint of a grin on his lips, his bangs hovering over his eyes as usual.

Ponyboy's sketch had resided on my carpet for quite some time, upside down for the sake of pushing everything and anything reminiscent of Johnny out of my mind, and now Johnny staring at it in his hands.

"This is really good..." he mumbled and was about to return it to its original position before I stopped him.

"I wanna see it again now," I explained, taking the frame out of his hands and setting it on my bedside table. We both stared at it in silence for a long moment when I felt a warmth envelop my hand. I averted my gaze to Johnny, who was looking back at me with the same expression on his face that he'd bore that day at the lot.

"I really missed you," he said, squeezing my hand and smiling slightly.

"Me too," I agreed, leaning my head on his shoulder. We stayed in that position for a while until he spoke again.

"Angie?"

"Hmm?" I was too content in the warmth of his worn t-shirt to actual look at him.

"Remember that time at the movies when I said I needed to tell you some thing?"

I nodded. "And thanks to two select people, you never got the chance?"

"God, don't remind me," he joked and we both chuckled as we reminisced over the turn out of that night, "But yeah, I had wanted to you then that..."

"Uh-huh?" I ran my thumb over the back of his hand in encouragement; I'd always wondered about this in the back of my mind.

"I was gonna tell you that I just _really_," he exhaled deeply, "care about you, Angelina, and I would never do anything to hurt you...Except, I already have now, but I just hope you could forgive me for that..."

I sat up abruptly at these last words and wrapped my arms around Johnny's neck, hugging him close.

"Really, Johnny, I already have," I assured him, burying my face in the crook of his neck, "But it's not your fault, okay? It's not your fault."

"Okay?" I repeated, pulling back slightly to look into his eyes. He just I looked up at me, sadly, and then away. "Johnny...?"

"Angie, I..." he paused and sniffled harshly, "I can't fucking take this anymore. He...I can't take what he does to me."

I stared at his watering eyes for what seemed like an eternity, waiting for him to continue. He'd never cursed like that in front of me, I'd never seen him _really_ angry, and God...I never even knew about his dad before.

"I'm not _going _to take it, Angie. I think I--I almost think I love you, and this is the first time I've ever even _thought_ about feeling that way about someone, especially since I haven't known you as long as anyone else," he took my hands in his and held them firmly, "and there's now way in hell I'm going to let my father screw this up for me again."

I knew by his eyes, the way his hands felt over mine, and the feeling of his lips crushed against my own in the next second that he was as serious as he would ever be.

**Okay, okay, a filler, I know...but this is all I have at the moment and I wanted to give you guys a little something to hang on to for the time being. Thanks for all of you who haven't forgotten this story, and especially Alley Le Fay for her idea...One more chapter (maybe a two part, but hopefully, I'll put it all into one) to go.**

**Really, I feel guilty for this being so short after so long, but...yeah, review, perty please! **


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